Ripple
by Out0fMyHead
Summary: Hermione is going back in time; her world is broken and she is the only one who can fix it. She just has to change one very stubborn wizard's path. Does she have what it takes to fight her way through the past, save the ones she loves? Or will she fail and allow everything to fall apart again. Very AU, Completely Canon divergent. SSHG
1. I - Pretty Girl Leaving

"You understand what you are signing up for Granger?" Professor Snape spat, his eyes narrowed on the girl sat across from him. She regarded him with a cool indifference that made his irritation peak.

"I do." She nodded, Albus shook his head, his half-moon spectacles discarded on his desk.

"You are certain, Hermione? If you do this there is no coming back." Harry clutched her hand in his as Dumbledore spoke, Hermione gave a nod.

"I will not be able to return; this timeline will have never existed should I succeed." She swallowed, a dry swallow that left her throat aching. She didn't like the idea, she didn't exactly _want_ to do it. What else could be done? The final Horcrux was lost to them, pushed beyond the veil by Voldemort himself.

"I will not be easily swayed. I was difficult, even as a young man." Snape drawled, his voice harsh against her ears. She shrugged.

"I understand that, Professor. You would not however be at all receptive should Harry or Ron go back and try to persuade you away from, at the very least, revealing to Voldemort the prophecy about Harry. The Order will be able to end him if he doesn't kill the Potters." She paused, her fingers tightened around Harry's hand.  
"I _will_ do my best." Her lips were set in a firm line, Harry stuffed down any words he may have wanted to say, any argument he may have had.

To think of a timeline in which his parents survived was enough to shut him up.

He wondered what it would be like, to grow up with his family, not the nasty Dursleys that had raised him.

Hermione recognized the look of pure excitement in his green eyes. Even if he would not remember a time it had ever gone this way.

"This is a bad idea." Snape ground out, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore who looked exhausted.

"There is nothing that can be done for it, Severus." The old, haggard wizard brought his spectacles back to his face and gave Hermione a little nod. "This is truly the only way, and she is correct, there is no one else to be sent back. She will at least garner a modicum of respect from you." Snape sneered.

"I hope you are all correct in this assumption." He glared and Hermione let brown locks fall into her face, she could hear Ron sniffle from somewhere off in the corner and she fought with her very well earned self-control. She would not make a scene, not until she was alone with her friends.

Dumbledore opened his desk with a tut and brought out a small brown bag, his fingers wrapped tightly around it as he held it out in his wrinkled hand.

"The seed of Kronos, it will only work once, dear girl. When you are ready to go, you will swallow the seed whilst thinking of the time you desire to travel to, it will take you there. I must warn you, you need to be clear of mind and completely ready before you do this. It is your only chance." She took the bag from him gently and her fingers grasped it tightly, the knuckles of her hand turned white.

Hermione gave a firm nod, her eyes flicked from Professor Snape to Harry and Ron.

"I won't let you down. Can't, if he wins…" She didn't want to think about it, the repercussions of Voldemort killing Harry, taking over the wizarding world. Slaughtering or enslaving those with her blood status.  
"I won't let you down." She stood, thanked the two Professors quietly, and then slipped from the room with Harry's hand still grasped in hers. Her stomach was flipping and turning, her lungs felt like lead in her chest.

"This won't work, Albus…Lily…"

"Your love for the young woman has overshadowed it, has it not?" Severus grunted but said no more, Albus gave a nod.  
"Then let us hope she can catch your heart in the past as well."

"I was a stubborn boy." Severus hissed, Albus set a hand on the wizard's shoulder, his eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Severus my boy, you are a stubborn man!" The elder wizard chuckled- quite violently and Severus just massaged the bridge of his nose.

His affections for Hermione Granger in the now would serve her no good in the past.

They only had hope, and hope had gotten him _nowhere_ in life.

 _SSHG_

"You can't do this 'Mi." Ron groaned, he was hugging her to his chest with back breaking strength and she groaned.

"I have to Ronald." She shrugged away from him, massaged her damaged ribs with a playful sparkle in her eyes.

"But, I-"

"Have Lavender and you will be fine." She asserted, her face stern, he backed off, his blue eyes cast downwards, to his feet.

"Right, Lavender." He muttered as he toed the ground.

"I'll miss you, my best friend." Harry sighed as he wrapped her in a much more delicate hug, she smiled into his shoulder and pinched his side.

"I don't think there is a timeline where we three wouldn't be friends." She grinned, brown eyes hid her sadness well. She really would miss them, they were the two most important people in her life for the longest time.

"I hope my mum and dad are nice to you." Harry gave her another hug, lifted her feet from the ground and shook her around a bit, she glanced at Ron when he set her down.

"Think of it this way, Ron. If I do this, if I succeed, George, Fred, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and everyone else he's murdered will be alive. Isn't that worth it?" She raised an eyebrow, Ron's eyes shot to hers.

"You're right, 'Mi, I miss them all so much." He rubbed the back of his head and she smiled softly before they were both wrapped in another warm hug.

"I want to have them back. I miss them, all of them, everyone he's murdered. I'll see you all again, you just won't recognize me." She winked as she pulled away and took a deep breath. She had her extended bag on her shoulder, everything she would need, the things she couldn't be parted with were inside.

She would go, and she would change the course of time, and everything would be okay.

A deep breath, in, and out.

"Miss Granger, I believe you should be going soon." A cold voice cut through the room the trio had met in, her eyes flicked to the brooding Potions Master, he was watching her, an odd look in his black eyes.

"Bye, 'Mi." Ron squeezed her hand and Harry wrapped her in another hug with a kiss to the cheek before they left her, alone in the room with Professor Snape.

"Any advice?" She cocked an eyebrow, a light smile on her face, even if she didn't feel it.

Long legs brought him quickly to stand directly in front of her, black eyes burned into her face and she forced herself not to look away. He'd been acting oddly for several days, since they'd revealed to him what they planned to do.

How they planned to stop Voldemort.

"Be yourself." He ground out, and then his hand caught her jaw and his lips were on hers and she was stunned to stillness, shocked by the action so unlike the Professor she knew.

The little sparks that danced across her skin didn't allow her to be shocked for long and soon her eyes had drifted closed, her fingers fisted in his black robes as she kissed him back with equal fervor.

He pulled away, black eyes drifted open and caught her own, held her, trapped in his gaze. She blinked as his forehead touched on hers, long black hair tickled her cheek and she sighed.

"You have to go, I know that, I just- I couldn't let you leave, not without- I had to show you." He worked the words from his lips, she gave a little nod that jarred her forehead against his, her eyes open, still fixed on his.

"Let's hope you like me so much in the past, yeah?" She smiled, it didn't reach her eyes and he hated it, hated that she had to go back and try to change him, fix his _idiotic_ mistakes.

"Be careful, Hermione." He pecked her lips again and then pulled away, not another glance in her direction as he exited the room. She stood there, unmoving until his footsteps ceased to echo through the hall.

With a soft sigh, she pulled the little bag from her pocket and dropped the small seed into her palm, it glowed a delicate red and looked entirely unappetizing.  
"Down the hatch, I suppose." She tipped her head back and swallowed the seed in one smooth motion. She could feel the trail it made down her throat and her eyes pinched closed.

She coughed once, twice, tried to focus on where it was she needed to go. Her stomach cramped and she hit her knees, everything started to spin and the last thing she felt were the sharp pains in her stomach as everything faded away.

SSHG

"Unngh." Hermione groaned as she rolled onto her side, her stomach was still cramping, though mildly, and her eyes flicked open. Her head hurt, most likely from falling to the cold stone floor and it took her eyes a moment to adjust to her surroundings. She was in the middle of a classroom, possibly the same she'd been in before and she sat up, rubbed her head.

"Gods," she groaned, "I hope that was worth it." She rubbed her sore head for another few moments before she pried herself from the floor. She wobbled a bit, righted herself, and stood up completely to stumble from the room.

She knew she needed to find the Headmaster's office and quickly, her head swam as she bobbed her way through the hall and when she came to the familiar gargoyle grinned. Fortune was smiling upon her, thank goodness.

"Lemon Drops." She hissed to the stone statue and the wall began to shift, the gargoyle moved and she stepped onto the stairs and allowed them to raise her to the door. She dug through her bag for a moment from outside the door before she clasped the parchment she sought between her fingers and gave a soft knock.

"Come in?" The voice that answered was confused, but familiar, and she was glad she would be interacting with the same Dumbledore she knew from her time. It would make things easier, she hoped, as she tried to implant herself in this life, in this time.

There was no going back, this was her home now, she could only hope she could achieve what she'd come to do and make it a lifetime worth living.

Otherwise she'd left her friends- and Severus, for nothing.

The door creaked open before her and she mustered all of her Gryffindor courage and wrapped it around her like a cloak. With a polite smile, she stepped into bright office, and her future, which just so happened to be in the past.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hermione?" Dumbledore, a slightly younger, much less haggard version of the man she knew, looked up at her through sparkling blue eyes.

"Yes sir."

"I see." He blinked down at the parchment again before he looked back up at her. "Interesting, so, the future is in turmoil, you are here to fix it?" She nodded, her fingers threaded together.

"Yes sir."

"And your last name?"

"You thought it best we change that, so as not to cause suspicion in whatever timeline this creates." Hermione blinked, she was still feeling a bit dizzy.

"Yes, yes, that does make sense. Okay then, let us find you a reason to be here." He flicked through few papers, a smile lit his face. "Are you familiar with Professor McGonagall?"

"Oh, yes sir, she is- was my head of house." She nodded, her eyes drifted to her hands. She didn't want to talk about the woman's death, didn't want to relive it.

A ripple in time, this was her chance to change all of that.

"Good, good, I believe she will make a fine aunt, will McGonagall be an acceptable last name for you?" She blinked, chewed at her lip, and gave a little nod.

"That would be fine, yes sir, as long as she is okay with it." Hermione smiled and Dumbledore gave a little nod.

"I'll summon her now and we will work out all of the little details." He smiled and drew his wand.

 _SSHG_

Hermione lay, curled into the covers of her new bed in Gryffindor tower, she'd been offered a choice of houses, or to be re-sorted but her heart was Gryffindor, had always been, would always be. She was uncomfortable in the unfamiliar dorm and sighed to herself, rolled, and froze when the girl in the bed next to her let out a snorting snore.

Finally, she rolled her eyes and dropped her feet from the bed, tied a bath robe around her, and slipped her feet into battered pink slippers, her favorites. She slipped from the room and exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her eyes closed as she descended into the familiar common room- it certainly hadn't changed much in near twenty years, surprisingly.

Out the portrait she went into the early morning air of the halls, the sun had just begun to creep over the horizon and she could see it, casting cool pinks and deep oranges across the halls. The blue of the sky was captured so beautifully in the moment that she was forced to pause and give a little breath, enjoy it for even just a moment.

This time was so different from hers, the sense of peace still permeated the school and there was a decidedly lighter air around everything. She'd grown so accustomed to the darkness of the future, the near constant struggle to keep her life.

"What are you doing?" A cold voice caught her and she gasped a breath, grasped her robe to her chest and spun on shaggy slippers to face the source of the voice. A boy, with long black hair and a tall lanky frame was watching her, she immediately recognized those deep black eyes. His skin was the same almost sickly pale that it was in her time, though she'd never thought it off-putting, more it seemed to suit his overall appearance.

She caught a handful of auburn curls- they'd decided to change her hair color subtly- between her fingers and blurted a nervous laugh.

"Sorry, you caught me off guard, I was just umm, enjoying the sunrise?" She hadn't meant for it to sound like a question, but then, he'd always unnerved her. It wouldn't make sense if his eyes didn't cause the same turmoil inside her because he was many years younger now. He had a cool intensity that she wondered if he was born with, she thought it very likely.

"Who are you?" He cocked a black eyebrow, eyes still locked on her, sharp lips turned in a scowl.

"Oh right! Sorry! Hermione," she thrust a hand out, he glanced from the hand to her face and gave a derisive snort. Her hand fell away and she rubbed the back of her head, shuffled her feet. He'd warned her. "Right, well, Hermione McGonagall, I just started yesterday, my mum sent me to stay with my aunt for a spell." She blinked up at him, very aware that he was so much taller than her even as a teen.

"I didn't ask for your life story, just your name." He was still watching her with a raised eyebrow and she almost groaned. He was going to make this more complicated than it had to be.

What had Severus' advice been? Be herself? She was undoubtedly screwed if that was the case, at present she didn't see how being herself could possibly work.

She shrugged her shoulders half-heartedly and leant against the wall near the open-air window, her arms crossed across her chest.

"You should have been more specific then." She raised her own auburn eyebrow at him, her grey eyes- they'd altered that as well, much to her dismay- sparkled in the growing light and he frowned.

"Do you always stroll about in your bed clothes or is this a special occasion?" She glanced down at herself at his words and brushed the hair back from her face.

"Hadn't planned on bumping into anyone on a Saturday, this early, to tell the truth. Have you got a problem with enjoying a bit of comfort?" She blinked up at him, her lips tilted in a little smile as she observed him. Hermione had considerately chosen not to mention what must have been quite the large wand up his _arse_ and how it would do him well to remove it. She wouldn't be earning any favor with him saying something like that- she was sure.

"Wonderful, another arrogant, mouthy Gryffindor I take it? Pleasure to have you haunting the halls of our fine school. Please do excuse me." He growled, a deeply sarcastic bow before he attempted to move around her, she turned to face his back as he strode away.

"Pleasure meeting you as well," she jogged to catch up and fell in step beside him, "I didn't catch your name."

"That is because I decidedly did not give it, good day." He tried to get away but she continued. He had told her to be herself, and herself was often very pushy- not that she particularly liked to admit it.

"You'll not be rid of me until you give me a name." She raised an eyebrow when black eyes flicked to her, a little smile touched her lips and he paused, as if caught for a second by her smile.

It was an honest smile, he wasn't accustomed to seeing those, not after- Lily.

"Severus Snape, now if you don't mind I have things to do." He grunted and Hermione gave him a wave and another broad smile.

"I hope to see you around then, Severus!" She turned and scampered off, happy with the way their first interaction had gone. Gods he was going to make her work for it though, wasn't he?

SSHG

Hermione was curled in the library floor, her eyes flicked quickly over the pages of the book in front of her as she devoured it. She'd not had the peace to just sit and read something for pure interest in so long she'd almost forgotten how much she enjoyed the simple act of reading.

She disliked the large wooden chairs that made up much of the library's seating however and opted for a comfortable spot in the floor, beneath a window, tucked into what would be a dark corner if not for the sunlight that streamed in behind her. With her legs pulled under her and a book in her lap she could almost forget her reason for coming back to this time, it was always on the edge of her mind however.

She'd left Harry, Ron, _everyone_ behind to do this. It didn't mean she couldn't enjoy the peace did it? She wanted to drop her glamours and completely relax, comfortable in her own flesh but she knew she couldn't, not without everyone and their mother asking about her scars.

Thick, jagged lines that carved up her arms, her neck had a particularly nasty slash that she couldn't look in the mirror for her stomach and its wild flipping and rolling at the sight of it. She took a deep breath and leaned back. Fixing it, she was fixing it.

She would fix it.

A domino effect, a ripple in the fabric of time. Lily and James Potter would live, Voldemort would never create a horcrux of Harry, he'd never be shredded apart and left to pull himself back together. He'd be defeated by the Order, stopped before he could come to true power. With her knowledge, she could point them in all the right directions- stop it before _so many_ had to die.

A throat cleared and startled her from her thoughts, her memories of dead friends.

Hermione's silvery eyes shot up to lock on a pair of black and she smiled, earned a cocked eyebrow.

"You should really consider a chair, how unladylike to sit on the floor." It was her turn to cock an eyebrow, a light smirk on her face.

"Hello to you too, Severus. Would you like to join me? I'm reading a very interesting tome on transfiguration." He scoffed, an annoyed look on his face.

"Yes, I'd very much like to spend my time in the company of a Gryffindor, I believe you could most certainly use some education on the workings of Hogwarts." Hermione flicked a wild curl from her shoulder to her back and straightened in her place, eyes burned into his face.

He found himself growing uncomfortable but didn't move as she stared him down. There was an odd intensity in her, like someone who'd seen so much more than they appeared. He knew what that was like, knew what it was to be someone who'd seen more than their fair share of hardship.

"I regret to inform you, Severus, that I couldn't care any less about the house dynamics here. I care even less about the separation of houses, and the battle for points." She turned her eyes back to her book dismissively and as if possessed his feet pulled him to squat beside her in the floor.

"You are a different sort of annoying Gryffindor, aren't you?" He flicked his eyes across the page she was on, impressed by the pure intellect it would take one to simply understand the text, much less interpret and make use of it.

"You have no idea." She smiled, that sweet smile that beamed up at him, again and he furrowed his brow. It took him a few moments of hesitation, her eyes flicking over the pages before he settled beside her and began to read in time.

She had to hold back her own sigh of relief.


	3. Chapter 3

Severus watched, his vantage point unnoticeable as he observed the auburn haired witch who seemed to stalk him about and Black walking together beside the lake. She was talking to him, a soft smile on her face as they walked side by side.

It made his stomach churn in him, for reasons unknown. He could see Sirius Black working his charm on the witch, trying to gain her favor and it was irritating, to say the least.

He wanted to barge over to them and ruin the moment, stomp out the possibility before it could come to pass.

He also wanted to see what Hermione would do, was she ignorant enough to fall for Black? If she was she wasn't worth his time to begin with, he didn't think.

When the dog grabbed at her hand the witch shoved him away, the gesture looked playful but he could sense here irritation brewing in the air. She pursed her lips and he smirked.

So she wasn't interested in the mutt in that way? Good.

Perhaps she was worth his time after all. He shifted to continue to watch them. Black touched her arm, the witch turned her back on him and crossed her arms across her chest.

His smirk deepened.

She wasn't falling for him, for his charms and good looks. It lifted his heart.

Not that she was falling for him either, he knew that.

It still felt good to see the mutt turned down, at least, that certainly was what he would tell himself.

When Black finally walked away, after trying to get into her face and her spinning in circles to avoid him, Severus stepped out from behind the tree to join her. She'd settled onto the ground near the tree-line where the forest and lake seemed to meet and snatched up an orange leaf.

She spun it by the little stem that had once held it to the tree and stared at it as it twirled.

He paused to watch her, his thick black robes blowing around his legs as he stared at her back. She was twirling the leaf in her fingers with one hand and drumming her knee with the other.

She looked so relaxed, her thick jumper keeping the chill from her as she stared at the leaf.

He wondered what she was thinking, wished he could read her mind for a moment.

If she'd heard him she'd given no indication, at least, not until she spoke.

"You don't have to lurk, Severus, I'm not going to bite you." Her feathery voice drifted over her shoulder and he narrowed his eyes at his back.

How had she known he was there, that it was him and not another?

"You have a very particular way, and scent about you. Potions and gentle, considerate steps. I would have recognized you anywhere." She breathed out, glanced over her shoulder at him and he blinked.

She was the mind reader then? He rolled his eyes at himself and shrugged off the chill her eyes were racing through him. It was easy to cross the small stretch of grass to her and settle beside her, his eyes over the lake for a moment.

"What are you doing out here, then?" He questioned, his black eyes flicked to her and away. Hermione pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, her chin settled in the small gap between her knees.

"I have no idea, Black asked me to come talk with him. Really he just wanted a good snog, I think." She laughed, a flat sound, and shook her head, auburn curls danced around on her head.

"He is a dog, but honestly, Hermione, I'm surprised you have not fallen for his charms." He smirked, eyes flicked to her again and she shrugged, stretched her legs out in front of her, and leaned back on her palms.

Her sweet smell of peaches and vanilla drifted over him as the breeze caught it and she glanced over at him, an eyebrow raised to her hairline.

"He's not my type." She gave a breathy laugh, the sound more sincere than the first and Severus narrowed his eyes at her, studied her profile as she stared out across the lake.  
"I require intelligent conversation, above all else. He's not dumb, by a stretch, but he isn't my equal either."

"Quite the cocky witch, aren't you? Certain you shouldn't have been sorted to Ravenclaw?" He smirked over at her and she shook her head, her curls bounced again and he fought his urge to tug one of the strands and watch it bounce back.

"Absolutely certain, and I am not cocky, as you say. I simply know what I want, and I won't stop until I get it." Her eyes flashed at him and he felt a twinge of something crawl up and down his spine. He tried to recall being looked at in such a manner, and came up blank.

"You are driven." His voice had dropped several octaves, his hair fell into his face. Hermione gave him a little wink and turned her face back to the lake.

"I have to be." Her words were a whisper on the wind, barely audible when they reached his ears.

Peculiar witch she was.

SSHG

When next Severus saw Hermione they were in advanced potions, the witch had a familiar leaf hanging from a chain around her neck and her quill trapped between her lips.

He noticed, when the other students filed in that no one joined her table and she stood alone, behind the cauldron. She was entirely enraptured with her potions book, however, her eyes skimming the pages as her lips played with the soft feather.

It held his attention, the way her bottom lip rolled the quill and then she pulled it from her mouth with an awed look on her face and scribbled something in her book. He cocked an eyebrow, unsure exactly what she was up to and curious.

He found he was curious about her the more he observed her. Curious about where she'd come from, who she was, what she liked.

He shook his head, black hair falling into his face and looked up to find Slughorn staring the witch down.

"Ms. McGonagall! I understand the adjustment must be hard dear girl," she grimaced, Severus was tempted to grimace with her. "…I must however insist you find a partner, the safety of this class, and of yourself is more important than your adjustment period." He finished and turned his back on her.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow, stuck her tongue out at his back and earned a chuckle from someone else in the room.

She glanced around, silvery eyes fell on him and he froze in his place. He was watching her, caught watching her.

Luckily her name had been called and that gave him an excuse to be looking, right?

She tilted her head at him and without a word passing between them he gave a little nod and she scooped up her stuff. When she was settled at his station she caught a glance from Remus and gave him a wide smile before she turned to talk to Severus.

"So, how are you at potions?" There was a twinkle in her eyes, as if she already knew the answer to her question, which was quite impossible as she'd never so much as spared him a glance in class.

She couldn't very well know how he did if she'd never even looked at his work, right?

"I think, we should worry more on your skills as a potioneer." He cocked a black eyebrow at the broad grin on her face and she bumped her arm against his, the same motion she'd made with Black by the lake. He tried not to think about it.

He didn't like the way it made him feel.

In fact, he was perfectly fine not feeling at all, especially where Hermione McGonagall was concerned.

"You have nothing to worry about," a little smile ghosted across her face, her eyes gleamed for a moment, "I learned from the absolute best. A potion master for the times."

"Is that so, and his name?" He watched her with interested eyes, he followed many of the masters, he was interested in their skills as he would be seeking an apprenticeship after his education was complete.

"You wouldn't know him."

"Try me."

She looked nervous, her tongue flicked out to lick her lips as she glanced around the room. She was trying to make up a name but she was drawing a blank.

So, being herself, she blurted the only thing that came to mind.

"It doesn't matter, he's dead." Severus cocked an eyebrow at her and shook his head.

"If you say so." He grunted, his eyes flicked to the book, the assignment therein and the pair began to work with relative ease. Though, his constant peeking over her shoulder did nothing but grate on Hermione's nerves.

Oh how she wished she could tell him that he'd taught her, and that he had nothing to worry about- truly.

"Would you kindly stop hovering?" He groaned when he came back to look over her shoulder again. His breath was hot against her ear and it made gooseflesh break out on her arms.

"I'm simply ensuring you do not ruin our grades." He huffed in her ear, she blinked and shook her head.

"I will do no such thing."

"If you are certain…" He glanced one more time for good measure before he moved on to begin cutting another ingredient.

"Stubborn wizard." She muttered under her breath, black eyes flicked to her.

"What was that?" His voice was a low, dark rumble. Incredibly reminiscent of her time as a student.

"I said we need pickled lizard." Severus shook his head, Hermione flushed, and potions commenced in much the same fashion until its completion.


	4. Chapter 4

"Thank you, for being my cover." Hermione smiled at Minerva McGonagall over her cup of tea. They'd begun a routine wherein she visited the elder witch at least twice a week, a means of getting to know one another, and keeping up appearances.

"No problem at all dear girl." She smiled, Hermione felt so comfortable in the elder witch's presence that she'd even managed to allow her glamours to slip away. She sat before the woman looking exactly as she was. "In fact, I rather like to think were I to have a niece she would be much like you. So intelligent." Minerva smiled and Hermione beamed back.

"You were my mentor, where I am from, you saved my life so many times. You're a great woman, I'm proud you let me call you my aunt." Hermione glanced at her cup, it rattled in her hand and she set it down. She preferred not to think of the past, only of the future she was building.

"Well, I feel that we're building something that will last for quite some time. In fact I imagine should you stick around much longer I will not find this rouse to be anything but the truth." Hermione grinned.

"I think so too. I'm really glad, to have found a family here." And she meant it, in Minerva and Dumbledore she was finding, and building, a wonderful family for herself.

It didn't matter her parents, the ones who'd been dead in the future were off living their lives parallel to her, that she'd never see them again. She was so pleased to have the opportunity that none of that mattered, as long as she continued to make these strides she would be happy.

SSHG

"You bring to mind a cat." A stoic voice startled Hermione from her light nap and she blinked her eyes open. The shadow of a young man blocked her sun and she stretched as she stared up at him.

"Honestly, Severus, hasn't anyone ever told you not to sneak up on sleeping girls?"

Severus cocked an eyebrow at her and shook his head. "I don't think it's ever come up, no." His voice was measured as it drifted through the open area, Hermione had discovered that the quidditch pitch, when not in use of course, caught just the right amount of sun for a midday nap.

And after tea and spilling her heart and soul to 'Aunt Minnie' she'd needed some rest and relaxation. She was relieved still though, to have some of that burden off of her shoulders.

"Well, now that it has you are aware, do not sneak up on a sleeping witch." She smiled and pulled herself up onto her elbows, her head tipped back as she stared up at him.

He was blocking the sun, making it easier for her to look up at him though the halo it cast around his head annoyed her.

It blacked out most of his features and she wasn't the biggest fan. She loved being able to see his eyes.

"I will keep it in mind." He muttered, still staring down at her and she shifted, easing some pressure from her neck.

"So, uh, what can I do for you today, Severus?" He shifted and the light was in her face but it was okay because after a moment he sat beside her, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

"I've found a book in one of the shops of Hogsmeade I thought you would be interested in. I thought it odd you chose to stay here on our first trip of the year." He cocked an eyebrow, it was a question, barely shielded, but a question none the less.

She watched him, interested as he pulled the book from his robe pocket and held it wrapped in slender fingers.

"Well, I have brunch with my aunt, after I just thought it would be nice to rest in the quiet." She licked her lips, her mouth dry as that black stare stayed focused on her.

"I see, well, tell me what you think when you finish it, won't you." He passed the book off to her and stood abruptly, he was striding across the pitch before she even had a chance to register what was happening.

"What? I'm no test reader Snape!" She called at his back but he only waved her off and kept walking.

 _What the bloody hell was that all about?_ She groaned to herself and sighed as she flipped the book in her fingers.

What she found was not a school, or spell, or subject book at all. No, instead she found a book of muggle poetry.

"Strange wizard." She grumbled and stumbled to her feet, deciding her peaceful nap was lost.

Severus watched from a safe distance as she stood and brushed herself off. The light played on her auburn hair and her lightly freckled skin glimmered.

He couldn't help but decide she was very beautiful, especially when she stood in the sunlight as such.

He turned to leave when she sat down on a lower bench to flick the book open and begin to read. Hermione didn't miss the sway of his black robes as he truly walked away.

"Strange, strange wizard." She shook her head and immediately dove into the book.

SSHG

"How are you settling in, Hermione?" Dumbledore stood beside her as she stared out one of the many open-air windows the school boasted. She smiled when her eyes flicked to the elder wizard and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's certainly different. Not at all like I'd expected. I couldn't have imagined it would be so peaceful." He nodded, his blue eyes observing the stretch of school grounds in front of them.

"I can understand, it seems you have come from quite the tumultuous time. I must ask, do you have plans for assisting with our war, to end it once and for all?" Hermione's eyes flicked to the elder wizard, his arms crossed behind his back in his usual stately manner.

"I hadn't thought of doing anything but." She nodded, silver eyes turning back to the grounds.

"I must ask then, again, what of young Mister Snape, will you be able to work opposite him?" Hermione knew this was where he would be going, eventually. She knew they had to have noticed, both him and Minerva, and she needed to make sure they didn't assume Severus would fall to the side of evil. If they anticipated it, it would be all the more likely to happen.

"He won't be on the other side." She breathed confidently, just as the old wizard began to walk away. He didn't give a response, no matter his opinion on the matter.

Hermione leaned there for awhile longer, taking in the view before she finally decided to retire to the Gryffindor common room. When she entered she was met with the smiling face of Lily Evans and another Gryffindor girl she was unfamiliar with.

"Good evening." She said as she tried to pass them but they caught her mid stride with a word.

"Wouldn't you like to hang out with us? It seems like you're having a hard time making friends." Lily commented, offhandedly and in no way seeming to intend to be rude. Still Hermione took offence.

It was because she knew what she knew, and she couldn't get past it.

No matter how hard she felt she tried.

And she was trying. She would have to work together with the future mother of Harry after all.

She exhaled and turned on her heel to slip back down the stairs, she'd only managed to make it up two.

"I'm feeling quite tired, what are you up to?" She tilted her head, still standing, certain she could make the choice to go upstairs at any moment.

"We were just doing a little talking, gossip really, I have to admit." The other girl blushed, though it barely showed on her deep caramel skin. She was beautiful, Hermione had to admit, with long, straight black hair down her back and perfect bow-shaped lips.

She wondered what would become of this witch.

She wondered what would become of a lot of people she crossed paths with in this time.

"No, I think I'll be okay, catch me next time?" She gave a tired smile, furthering her confession that she was, in fact, tired. Both girls waved her off with agreements and muttered goodnights before they turned back to their talking.

Hermione was happy when her head hit the pillow, she thought she'd fall to sleep straight away.

Instead though, thoughts of black eyes and visions of strange looks from a certain wizard danced through her head.


	5. Chapter 5

"Don't be a twat, Potter." Hermione found herself groaning for what had to be the fiftieth time. If she'd thought the twins were bad, they had nothing on the Marauders, these boys were pure terrors. They were constantly pulling something on someone.

Sirius had taken a liking to her, not a shock as he had in the future as well, and was prone to showing her in the most boyish of ways. Especially since the day she'd turned him down beside the lake, he'd been laying it on quite thick, that day. She was not impressed with his hair-pulling, and even less impressed with the way his 'mates' assisted him in said hair pulling.

She'd hoped at least Remus would be pleasant to be around but, no such luck, he'd been just as much a teenage boy as the rest, it seemed.

"Pads just wants to take you on one date! C'mon McGonagall, be a sport!" James pleaded, Lily looked on with amusement, she obviously thought Hermione would eventually give in as she had. Hermione almost scoffed- fat chance, she was more likely to drown herself in the lake with the merfolk.

She squinted with irritation when he caught her round the waist and all but plopped her on Sirius' lap. She screeched her irritation and wanted nothing more than to deck Harry's dad. She hoped they all managed to grow up a little bit before the first war began.

They would be useless as they were. All immature and hormones.

"I said I'm not interested!" She threw her hands in the air and dashed through the portrait hole before she could be caught again and tossed about like a ragdoll. She was not impressed, not even a little bit by their boyish playfulness. She'd been through too much, seen too much, perhaps before she'd been a major player in the war…

Now though, now she just found it annoying.

Finally, when Hermione was sat by the lake, her knees pulled up to her chest, she found she could breathe freely again. Gryffindors were by nature boisterous, fun loving, act before thinking kind of people, she was accustomed to it with Ron and Harry. Still, it was hard, after everything they'd been through, they were hardened by war. They weren't like these carefree Gryffindors, not even like the ones they'd been in first year when they were sorted and excitable.

Before it had begun, before Quirrell and that damned turban.

"You look a bit flustered." Severus sat beside her and she flicked her eyes to him. Her stomach had knotted up painfully and when she saw him she felt the tension release a bit, a familiar face- as it were- in a sea of strangers.

"Yes well, if there was a black-haired menace who had it in his head he was beautiful and you were the most prime piece of meat he'd seen in years you'd be flustered too." She shot him a look but he furrowed his brow and shook his head.

"What? I'm afraid I didn't follow that at all." He picked at the dying grass on his side opposite her, his thigh towards her dangerously close to brushing her own.

"Black has it in his head that he's not dated enough of the girls in this school, he'd like to add me to his limitless progress." She cocked an eyebrow and watched as her words sank in. Severus looked like he'd sucked something sour the way his face pinched and she almost laughed.

It was refreshing to be able to read his emotions on his face, she was sad that had ever been taken from him.

"The sky really is the limit for you Gryffindors." He sneered and Hermione caught his hand before he could move to stand, her fingers ghosted across the flesh before she pulled back with a light blush. She hadn't expected him to be so warm. It seemed like it had been so long since she'd been in the future, his lips over hers- even if it had only been little more than a week.

"Don't leave." The whisper fell from her lips before she could stop herself and his eyes flicked to her, locked on her face, curious. She didn't glance at him though, only made sure not to reach for his hand again, brought her arms up around her knees and stared out over the lake. "It will be dark soon, anyway."

"You really are a different sort of Gryffindor." He commented, stretched his long legs out in front of him and leaned back on his elbows, that smile twitched onto her lips again.

"You have no idea."

SSHG

It was interesting to Hermione, being in a potions class with a Professor who she'd laid to rest what seemed like only days before. Slughorn had died in the ministry, during a raid by the Order in an attempt to free several members being held by Death Eaters.

He drifted about and babbled just as he always had and watched as the classroom of Gryffindors and Slytherins, much larger than the NEWT level course she'd taken under the would-be Professor beside her.

They worked well together, her and Severus, their motions measured and sure as she chopped and he added and stirred. It was interesting, the way they seemed to fall in time with one another. He'd stopped checking behind her after their third class together, realizing she wouldn't tolerate it and that he honestly didn't need to worry- she wasn't going to screw up.

And of course, she wouldn't, she'd been taught by the most achieved Potions Master in his time- she couldn't tell him that though, not yet. Their fingers brushed as she handed over a well sliced bud of wolfsbane, she didn't miss the flare of his nostrils, or the way his eyes locked on their touching hands for a few short seconds before she pulled away.

She cast him a shy smile, as if to say 'woops' and kept going, a coy smirk played at her lips though. She was enjoying herself, flirting with him in the right and legal way was much more fun than when he'd been her Professor- before Hogwarts had been shut down. Then, it had just been a matter of staying alive, no time for silly flirtations.

"Can you grind the moonstone, or shall I?" He glanced to her, consideration in his black eyes as he looked over her much smaller form. She winced and plucked the stone from the table, and handed it over with the mortar and pestle. She had no desire to strain her torn arm muscles and was glad he'd given her an out, even when he didn't know what she'd been through.

She wondered if she'd ever be able to tell him, to show him her scars? She had half a mind to think he was the only wizard she'd ever feel comfortable sharing that part of herself with. Of course, that was a time in the future, not now, not while she was working her way into his good graces.

It still baffled her that she could love him at any age though. The affection that swelled in her chest when she watched him, grinding away at moonstone until it was a fine dust, it was odd, that he struck her so strongly when he was- perhaps not a different person, but a much softer version of the one she'd fallen in love with.

She supposed that was what true love was, love without the bounds of simple personality flaws, she loved him despite them, because of them, with or without them. It was a comfortable conclusion to come to.

"Thank you, Severus." He shot her an odd look, confusion mixed with pleasure at her thanks.

"I can't imagine what for, silly girl." He grumbled and she shook her head, auburn curls fell into her face and blocked the blush she could feel crawl across her cheeks. It had been a long time since she'd heard those words, so odd the fire they lit in her.

"For doing the stone. My arms might've fallen off." She laughed nervously and turned back to her work. He gave her an odd sort of look, which she blatantly ignored, and then continued on adding ingredients to their potion.

SSHG

"What are your parents like?" Hermione ventured to question, she and Severus were sat together, enjoying the early evening near the lake.

She liked to think she was becoming his friend, working her way slowly into his good graces.

A grunt was his only response as he stared out over the water and she shook her head, her eyes rolling subtly.

"Okay then, do you have any siblings?" She obviously knew he did not, still she didn't want him to realize how well she actually knew him. It seemed like a safe question.

Still his only response was a grunt and the shake of his head.

No then. She almost snorted, almost.

"Okay…." She trailed, her eyes focused on her fingers for a second. "Any pets?"

"You certainly are full of questions this eve, aren't you, Hermione." He groaned and her eyes flicked to him. His black eyes were closed and his posture was still relaxed.

She hoped that meant he wasn't preparing to flee because she asked too many questions.

"Yes, well, people often ask questions to get to know other people they are interested in." She smirked and cocked an eyebrow at him. He rolled his head on his shoulders and focused black eyes on her.

"And you, what are _your_ parents like?"

"Dead." He was caught off guard, the way she didn't even skip a beat. "My adoptive parents are quite nice though." The flat tone of her voice was a bit unnerving and Severus looked back across the water.

She never ceased to catch him off guard.

"Well, what is your favorite color, then?" She nudged him with her shoulder and he turned to look at her again, an eyebrow raised. "If you say black I shall find you to be the most cliché wizard here." Her voice was challenging.

Severus stared into her eyes for a moment before he looked away again.

"I find I'm beginning to like grey quite a bit. And you?" Was he flirting with her?

She thought he might be!

Her stomach bubbled her panic.

"Black." She grinned when his face whipped back around to stare at her.

"So, if I prefer black I am a cliché, if you prefer black it is okay?" His eyebrow was in his hairline, his lips pursed.

Hermione chuckled and shook her head.

"It's my prerogative."

"You are the strangest witch."

"You have no idea." She grinned over at him, her usual answer to his comments on her status as different.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hermione." She paused, silvery eyes wide as she turned to her left.

"Yes?" She whispered, barely audible over the sounds of other students playing, snow pelting their classmates as they laughed.

"Why are you behind a tree?" Severus was watching her, eyebrow raised, a curious smirk on his face and she shook her head, eyes wide. Her finger came up to her lips as she grasped his arm and tugged him behind the tree with her.

The position, he had to admit, was one he'd not expected to find himself in with the much smaller witch, nearly pressed against her with her back to the tree. She balled her fingers in the front of his robes and if she noticed his discomfort she certainly didn't say anything.

"I need you to hide me." He cocked an eyebrow and pulled back a bit, long black hair fell into his face as he stared down at her. She smiled gingerly, eyes sparkled.

"What are you up to, exactly?" He pressed, black eyes bore into grey and she hummed to herself, bit her lower lip. His thumb instinctively came up to pop it free.  
"You shouldn't do that, you'll hurt yourself."

The look in her eyes changed as she stared up at him and he was half tempted to move closer, half tempted to run away. Odd little witch she was.

Nothing like he would expect a relative of McGonagall to be.

"Do you care Severus, if I get hurt?" She watched him closely and for some reason he felt like he was walking into a trap, his eyes narrowed on her.

"If I do?" He challenged, he was watching her closely, waiting for her composure to slip.

It never did, not her, she was stone before him, he wondered where she'd learned it.

"I care if you get hurt." Her voice dropped, quiet against the backdrop of laughing and shouting teens, her fingers held his robes tightly as he watched her. The electricity that surged through him at her words was enough to bring him down, as if he'd been hit with a particularly strong hex as he stared into her grey eyes.

Open, honest, truthful.

"You can't mean that." He rasped, a large hand came up to cup her cheek and she leaned against it, sighed into it.

"I don't say things I don't mean, Severus." She watched him, waited for a response. She'd been taking it so slowly with him, so slowly despite the urge to throw herself at him and beg at his feet for him to hold her. She'd only had a taste in the future and it haunted her dreams.

She woke screaming for him regularly, glad she was able to wrap herself in multiple muffling charms so that others only ever heard- at most- a groan.

"I care if you get hurt, as well, Hermione." He cleared his throat, sharp, hawk like eyes glanced around them as he pulled his hand away.

She would take it, every little stride in the right direction. She hoped she was being herself enough for him.

"Now, why are you hiding behind a tree, silly witch?" He questioned, something in him was lighter, as if their moment had opened something up between them. She felt her insides squirm with excitement at the possibilities.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." She winked and he grunted his disproval.

"That is not a sufficient answer to earn sanctuary, I'm afraid I will not be able to hide you away until I know the full repercussions of my actions." Hermione cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"What if I begged?"

"I am afraid not, I will need full compliance." Her smirk deepened, eyes sparkled and he wondered what he said to earn _that_ look.

"Oh, I'll comply with you Severus…" She hummed, her fingers broke from his robes to walk up the center of his chest. She could have groaned, gods she missed his buttons.

Damned man.

His eyes narrowed, pupils dilated and she wondered for a second if she'd gone too far. It pulled a gasp from her when his fingers dug into her hips and held her still.

"Don't tease me, Hermione." His voice was deep, guttural, something she hadn't heard from him in this time and her blood was instantly set alight, fire burned through her veins. Merlin, she had it bad.

"What'll you do about it?" She tipped her head to the side, forced down her groan when his fingers dug tighter into her hips, her tongue flicked out to wet her lips as he stared down at her.

As if from nowhere he was pelted in the side of the head by a snowball and his eyes shot up with a snarl, his fingers instantly went for his wand and Hermione wanted to cry, the moment lost.

"Get your hands off her, Snivellus." Sirius grunted and Hermione turned to him with wide eyes, the irritation evident on her face as Severus blocked her from view, his wand held high. James and Peter joined him on either side and Hermione noticed Remus was gone. Day after a full moon, of course he'd need time to recover.

"She's too good for you." James nodded, his eyes locked on the slender fingers that grasped Severus' shoulder. Lily had understood at last, it shouldn't be hard to make this one understand he was _evil_ as well.

"From where I'm standing she chose to be around me, I'm forcing nothing." Severus growled and Hermione's fingertips bit into his shoulder, his eyes flicked to look at her, annoyed until he saw the soft look on her face.

In a blink, Sirius shot a hex toward Severus, Hermione forced herself not to react, knowing she had faster reflexes than either, having fought in a war for the better part of her life. She watched as Severus threw a shield up, his face placid as his eyes shot daggers at them.

Hermione poked her head from around Severus' side and waggled her eyebrows at the three marauders stood across from her.

"Can we go now?" She glanced to Severus who was watching the three across from them with dangerous eyes, as if he was ready to do battle.

"He's dangerous McGonagall! He is bad news!" James shouted at their backs when they turned to walk away and Hermione only waved over her shoulder, her arm came up to hook around Severus' as they walked side by side.

SSHG

"They're right, Hermione, I'll only end up hurting you." Severus said, at least an hour later when the pair were tucked comfortably in the library, reading in the little corner beneath the window that the witch seemed to prefer.

"I thought we had this conversation under the tree." She closed her book, set it in the floor in front of her and turned to face him, an eyebrow raised. He watched her closely, eyes narrowed on her facial expression.

"I hurt Lily, didn't I? Called her that unforgiveable word and I lo…" He paused to take a breath, his eyes pinched shut.

"You love her, I know." Black eyes flicked open, shock written in his expression as he stared at her.

"You know?"

"How could I not, Severus?" She looked at her feet, suddenly very interested in her shoes. This was something she'd had to deal with in the future as well, the warring feelings of jealousy and dislike for the redhead and the feelings that she wasn't worth enough, wasn't good enough to compete. She inhaled deeply and powered on. She was here for a reason.  
"I don't mind it, I don't know what you think, where we're going, what we're doing, but, I- understand?" She furrowed her brow, trying to convince herself as much as him.

"You do?" His body shifted toward her, his eyes locked on the side of her face. She fought to breathe. She didn't, she tried. She would someday, she really hoped she would.

"Maybe not completely now, but soon, eventually I'll understand completely, I'm sure." He stilled beside her and she turned her head further away, unwilling to look at him if he was going to walk away.

"And if I called you that- that name?" He knew the story they'd told; she was adopted by Minerva's sister-in-law when she was young, a muggle-born witch whose family couldn't handle her.

"I can show you how absolutely little I think of that word." She said and stood, offered a hand to him. He took it but didn't rely on her to help him as he pulled himself up.

"Okay?" His brow furrowed but he followed willingly where she led. It drew a smile to her face.


	7. Chapter 7

Severus held her slender arm between his fingers, his eyes narrowed on the word carved into her skin. A thousand questions darted through his mind, his free hand came up to trail along the ugly word, carved into this witch forever.

How did she cope with it? Look at it on a daily basis?

"How?" It was all he could verbalize, the only word that consumed his mind as he looked up at her, black eyes deep. She'd taken him to the girl's restroom where Myrtle spooked most away, the most private place she could think of and she knew it would be many years until the basilisk roamed free again so she knew it would be fine.

"A mad witch, crazy really." Hermione cocked an eyebrow, unwilling to say more, not until he knew the truth, the whole of it, and she wasn't sure they'd ever get that far in their relationship.

Not with bloody Lily holding them back.

 _Deep breaths._ She coached her less rational mind.

"Hermione…I had no idea." He cupped her cheek again and she closed her eyes, just for a second, let her face fall into his hand.

They wouldn't be interrupted here, not after the threats she'd tossed at Myrtle when they'd entered. She forced her eyes open.

Lily, he was still hung up on Lily, and it would always linger there, the idea that she couldn't give him _exactly_ what he desired.

And wasn't that interruption enough?

"Where did you go?" He questioned, eyes locked on her face and she blinked the room back into focus, realized she was still stood, his hand on her cheek, his lean body curved neatly over hers.

Why did he have to be so right? How was he so utterly perfect for her? It was frustrating.

"I was just thinking." She cupped her hand over his, his eyes flicked to the carving in her arm again, lips pulled into a thin line.

"May I?" He questioned, not waiting for her answering nod as he took her arm back in his hands and dipped his lips to the tender flesh. She froze when they trailed across the scarred skin, warm breath caressed the raised lines, a sob broke from her, large tears trailed her cheeks.

He wasn't supposed to be so sweet, so gentle when she showed him. He was supposed to shrug her off, pretend it didn't matter.

And then he did something even more out of character, he wrapped her in his arms, pulled her into his chest and held her while the tears broke one after another from their confines. She felt ridiculous, weak, this time was ruining her.

How could she be ready for war? She was far too torn by war, and then this time made her feel comfortable and safe. It was a recipe for disaster.

"I didn't mean to upset you." She shook her head against his chest and sniffled.

"I just, I never thought anyone would- it's so _ugly_." She groaned out finally, unsure how to put into words the gift he'd just given her, the absolute acceptance of her scars was something she'd never fathomed, never thought she'd receive outside of his future self- who was, in fact, covered in scars himself.

He pushed her back, his eyes locked on her face, in the dim quiet of the girl's lavatory it was oddly perfect.

"You are so fucking beautiful." He finally growled, his hands cupped her face on either side as she stared up at him, wide silvery eyes lost.  
"And it is a tragedy, a travesty, an injustice that you don't know it." He groaned, his forehead touched hers, she was momentarily reminded of the future, when he'd stared at her with those black eyes. Told her to be herself.

She was already head over heels in love with him, was she winning his affections as well? Was she a passing thing, something to distract him from Lily?

How could she know? What was she supposed to do?

Her mind was whirling, spinning out of control.

Five words, five simple words stopped the insane whirl and tossed her into a void, a space of perpetual emptiness.

"Can I kiss you, Hermione?" His voice was deep, and smooth, and soft, and beautiful. She wanted to scream yes, cry that she'd been waiting for it since she'd gotten there, beg him to.

Instead she managed a quiet: "Will you mean it?"

He watched her, black eyes incredulous as his fingers grasped the sides of her face and held her in place.

"Gods, what has been done to you in your life? I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it." He held fast, not releasing her and she took a deep breath, gave a small nod.

"Please do." Her voice cracked, nervousness crawled up and down her spine. As if she'd never kissed before, never kissed him at that. This was different though, this wasn't a desperate kiss in a classroom to sate a need they'd only just realized they had.

He exhaled a soft noise that caressed her lips and his own fell to hers, gently massaged themselves against them. And then, as if something had been sparked in them they were working their lips together with fervor. Hermione's eyes closed as chills skittered up and down her arms, her fingers that had held his upper arms, clutched them for dear life, worked their way up to hook around his neck as his own drifted down her neck, lower to her hips.

He grasped her tightly there, a pleasant pain that shot fire through her and forced her thighs to clench as he tugged her against him, the firm line of an erection dug into her lower stomach.

"S-Severus…" She gasped when his mouth left hers, found her jaw and lay little kisses and bites there, trailed down her neck to the juncture of her shoulder and neck. Her eyes rolled back in her head, her body pressed firmly against his as he trailed back up, his lips taking hers in a heated kiss again.

He grunted into the kiss, his tongue begged entrance and she granted it, his mouth, his scent, his _heat_ , the raw power of him consumed her as he pushed her back, almost roughly, though she hardly cared, into the tiled wall. His hands roamed, his tongue warred with hers while her entire body came alive under him, little mewls and cries breaking into the kiss and being swallowed by his mouth.

He broke away panting, his forehead against hers as he held her hips, as if she would float away if he released her. She leaned her head against the wall and he smirked at the little marks that peppered her neck.

One hand released her hip, slender fingers came up to caress the side of her neck, the marks he'd left there sparked an odd sense of pride, as well as a dark sense of domination in him. He'd fucked, of course he had, on many occasions shared a bed, a kiss, a shag with a witch, never had he felt like he did about this one. Never had he felt such a strong urge to take her in his arms and keep her beyond the thrill of the moment.

He'd shared his bed with a few wizards as well, nothing compared, he could think of none in his more debauched exploits that was an equal.

"Gods witch." His face fell to the crook of her neck, nuzzled there, his lips touched her and he reveled in the shiver that shook her. He was busy trying to control the riot in his body and mind when her fingers started to stroke softly through long black locks. His eyes closed, the gentle caresses soothing his insane high.  
"Keeping you, I'm keeping every beautiful inch of you." He groaned into her neck and growled when her fingers stilled, pulled back to tower over her again, eyes locked on her face.

He was waiting for her denial, her decision not to be seen as more than his friend in public.

"You want me?" She breathed, the words a shock to his system, hadn't he just proven that? What exactly _had_ the witch been through? He blinked, once, twice, three times before he cleared his throat and spidery fingers slipped up into her auburn hair, hands grasping her head on either side.

His lips fell on hers again, firm, passionate, desire pushed into the kiss as he parted her lips with his and delved into her mouth. He groaned at the little sounds she made and pulled back only when he was satisfied he'd fully shown her his intent.

"Have I made it clear enough?" She blinked up at him, bit her already abused lip and he popped it free with his thumb, black eyes narrowed on her unsure face.  
"If you don't want me, I completely understand." He tried to keep the bitter edge out of his voice as he stared into grey eyes. She froze, her jaw went slack.

"No! No! Merlin..." She ran her fingers through her hair, her face fell. "I want you, gods I have since I met you I think, I just, Lily, and I thought you wouldn't…" She trailed, her eyes downcast as her hands fumbled, trying to figure out where to go, his hands were still buried in her hair and he tugged her head up.

"Look at me." He growled, her eyes jerked up to his. "No Lily, not right now, just us, you."


	8. Chapter 8

"Look at me." He growled, her eyes jerked up to his. "No Lily, not right now, just us, you."

"I just didn't think…" He smirked when he placed a finger on her lips, stopping her and reveling in the plumpness there, the plumpness he'd caused.

"Perhaps, your incredible intellect can take a bit of a break, Hermione? Enjoy the moment, just for a short while?" He cocked an eyebrow, his smirk deep and dark eyes sparkled.

"Okay, what do you suggest I distract it with then?" Her head tipped cutely to the side, curls tickled his knuckles and his eyes sparkled again, his stomach tight.

"I can think of a few things." Managed to fall from his lips before he'd taken hers again, his mouth moving over her own with perfect timing, perfect precision. It was beautiful, he was beautiful, and she was more than happy to be consumed in him for any amount of time he would give her.

Leaned against the wall they kissed for what felt like hours until finally they broke away and soft grey eyes were boring into him again.

"Are you sure about this?" Her eyes flicked to the side, he groaned and caught her cheek, turned her to face him again.

"Who has abused you so much to make you this unsure? I will personally ruin his day." Severus growled and the giggle that tore from her was light, airy, and so damned beautiful.

"I may have fancied a man where I came from who hardly gave me the time of day until I was leaving."

"His loss." Severus wrapped her in his arms and held her to him. "I'm serious Hermione, I want you to be mine, no one else, no other wizards." He spoke into her hair and she nodded into his chest.

"I was not looking to begin with." She assured, her fingers dug into his back in a way that made him smirk. He wanted her to hold so tightly, wanted her to want him the way he was coming to realize he wanted her.

"We should go to our common rooms before it grows too late." He separated from her, his fingers came up to caress the bites on her neck gently, his mouth moved in close to her ear.

"Leave them for me." A shiver raced up and down her spine and her lips parted gently, a little nod.  
"Good." He smirked when he pulled back, dropped a hard, domineering kiss to her lips and turned, leaving her stood in the dimming lavatory. Hermione shook her head and sighed.

He was as intense as ever, apparently, she groaned, mind boggled.

SSHG

Lily caught Hermione coming into the common room with a gentle hand on her arm, her emerald eyes sparkled with caution as she looked the other witch over.

"I don't know what's going on with you and Severus…" Hermione cut her off with a hand, silvery eyes narrowed.

"You don't need to know, you dropped him for a moment of weakness, he still cares for you a great deal, and I know you're a good person. Just leave it, don't try to turn me against him, don't warn me away from him. I know him."

"Not like I know him, if he could call me _that_ he could do the same to you, I was his friend for years, since our childhood." Hermione massaged the bridge of her nose, her eyes fluttered closed. She could feel Lily's stare on the marks on her neck and a chill raced down her spine.

Would he stop seeing her if the redhead said something to him?

She forced down the sob at the thought and met Lily's eyes. She really was beautiful, it was no great shock Severus loved her.

"I don't want to do this right now. If you care about him at all even just the slightest anymore just leave it alone." She turned to leave but Lily caught her arm again, Hermione sighed. Harry hadn't gotten his stubborn streak from just James. That much was apparent.

"I don't want him to hurt anyone else. Please, just be careful? He's going down a dark path, Sirius really is a good guy, you should give him a chance." Emerald eyes implored, Hermione shook her head.

"I'm not at all interested in Sirius, dark does not always equate to evil, and I promise you I can take anything he can throw at me, even nasty words and stinging hexes." Hermione turned this time and did manage to slip up to her dorm room. Her eyes burned with unshed tears.

Lily really wasn't a bad person, it made disliking her all the more difficult.

Hermione had no doubt Severus would hurt her, he would ring her heart out over and over and she would forgive him, over and over. It was the way things were, she was built to endure him, to love him. She knew it from the bottom of her stomach that she was made to take whatever he could dish out.

She hoped, beyond hope, that he fell for her, that he didn't dish out nearly so much harshness as he could as her professor. Still, she'd taken it in stride- well, as much as she could.

Slipping beneath the covers she sighed as she flicked her wand and plaited her hair down her back to sleep. She was crossing her fingers, hopeful for a decisive lack of bad dreams.

SSHG

Hermione sat, leaned against Severus with a cup of hot cocoa between her hands. They'd gone to Hogsmeade as it was a Sunday and one of the last weekends they would have for shopping before Christmas. Her eyes were focused on the cup in her hands as she leaned against him, his arm around her shoulders in the booth they occupied.

"I have to tell you something." She finally broke her gaze to flick her eyes up to him. Better she tell him about her conversation with Lily than the other witch.

"We've only just gotten together, you cannot reasonably break it off with me for at least a week." He smirked down at her and she shook her head, auburn hair tickled at his arm around her shoulders.

"No, nothing like that, though you may want to end it with me after I tell you this." His eyes narrowed.

"You can't possibly have cheated in one night." He grunted, his eyes guarded and she shook her head, eyes wide.

"No, no! Nothing like that either! Circe Severus, you think the worst, don't you?" She rolled grey eyes and sat up to face him, his hand fell to her thigh, as she held his gaze.

He had to give that to the witch, she was bold. Every bit the bold Gryffindor.

"No, Lily caught me coming into the common room last night." She watched him, he tensed almost imperceptibly but otherwise gave no indication of his discomfort.  
"We had a bit of a row I think. I'm not really sure, it was all very civilized but it felt like a row."

Severus watched her closely, his eyes flicked around the room for a second before he focused back in again.

"What did she say?" Hermione could tell his mouth was dry, the way his adam's apple bobbed in his throat gave away his dry swallows.

"She wanted me to know you were heading down a dark path, that if you could say certain things to her, who has been your friend for years, then you could easily say them to me. She implored me to give Sirius a chance, he's a good guy." He stared at her, black eyes intense, she wondered if he would ever blink again or if he'd perhaps turned to stone?  
"I informed her that I do know you, better than she thinks, better than you think, that I have absolutely no interest in Sirius, that dark does not always equal evil, and that I can take any pain you can give me." She said in one breath and he cocked an eyebrow, a smirk drew his face up.

"Any pain."

"Not like that you great pervert." She smacked his arm, gently, playfully.

With a low growl from somewhere deep in his throat his lips latched onto hers, a fierce claiming. She wondered if maybe she'd done something right?

She certainly thought she may have, the way he was holding her to him and devouring her lips.

Her skin tingled, a chill raced up her spine. They broke apart when the bell above the door went.

Severus went rigid and she sighed, her eyes flicked to the doorway, there stood the Marauders, and Lily. Of course, just when she thought they'd have a good, peaceful day of snogging.


	9. Chapter 9

Hermione and Severus had fled Hogsmeade as soon as they'd encountered the rowdy Marauders. She almost smiled at the way their presence livened up the atmosphere of the shop but she tried, as always, not to think of them in any one way or the other.

She needed to keep her opinion of them neutral until they were older, more capable of making level-headed decisions. It was like Harry and Ron in first year, all over again. She smirked to herself as Severus lead her down the path from Hogsmeade back to Hogwarts.

She smiled at him, their fingers entwined as he brought her to the edge of the lake and they settled there, warming charms keeping the chill from them.

"What are you doing over Holliday?" He questioned, his black eyes focused on her, they sat side by side, the sun just setting over the glassy expanse of the lake and Hermione tipped her head to lay against his shoulder.

She wasn't certain about that, she would have to speak with Minerva about the matter.

She planned, however, to stay at Hogwarts and enjoy a leisurely break.

"I'd thought I would stay here. Catch up on a bit of reading, enjoy some quiet. That is, if aunt Minnie has no plans, which she typically doesn't." Severus leaned against the top of her head, obviously breathing in the smell of her as she leaned against him. It was wonderful, everything she'd ever wanted.

Everything she'd dreamed her school experience would be this past was giving her.

"What will you be doing?" She nudged him with her elbow gently and he leaned away, black eyes burning into her.

"I have no intention of leaving you here alone, witch." She gave him a soft smile and shook her head, curls danced around her face.

The moon was cresting in the sky by the time the pair broke apart to speak again, having settled into an amicable silence.

"Would you like to meet some of my friends?" He questioned, seeming like he was having a hard time broaching the topic, Hermione stilled, and tensed against him and he wondered if he'd said something wrong.

Was he rushing into things with her?

"What friends?" Her voice was quiet, timid and he blinked down at the top of her head. This, like some other instances was one in which he felt he knew she was holding something back from him.

He wondered if she'd ever tell him the truth of things. There had to be more to her story than just moving to be with her aunt.

Especially after she'd shown him that carving in her arm. He was certain there was more to Hermione than met the eye.

"I'm not certain I understand the question." He narrowed his eyes at her, she tried to breathe through her panic.

Would he ask her to meet Lucius and Narcissa? Blood purists?

She knew that Voldemort was already becoming active, building his following and laying the groundwork for his rise to power.

He had even already made several Horcruxes by this point, if she was thinking along the correct timeline.

A list she'd given to Dumbledore as soon as she'd arrived, the Order, newly assembled, should have been working on that already.

Soon Lily and James, Sirius and Remus, and even herself would join said Order.

She'd hoped to bring Severus into that fold with her.

If not all at once then slowly.

Did he even realize the extent of their madness yet? Did he know what he was walking into? Was he following Lucius blindly?

"Hey, Hermione." He caught her chin, tipped it so her eyes were looking at him again. His expression was soft and it relaxed her rioting nerves a bit. She still didn't know what to say.  
"It's okay, I mean, if it is too soon. I understand, I'm not trying to rush you." He furrowed his brow, watching the emotions play across her face.

Suddenly, as if she'd flicked a switch her face changed, he could see it, that stony expression, the flatness that sometimes took her when she thought no one was watching.

He was always watching though.

"Hey, don't leave me okay?" She blinked and the stone fell away, as did the knot that it settled in his chest.

"I'm not going anywhere." She shook her head with a blink and stared up at him for a moment longer.  
"It's just, what are your friends like? Are they, I mean do they care-" She trailed, her stomach was flipping. She didn't want to ruin all of her hard work, didn't want to lose him.

If this was all for nothing she was certain she wouldn't survive. She would rather be in her own tortured time, with her tortured Professor Snape than watch him walk the same path all over again.

A chill raced up and down her spine.

"We can speak of it another time, okay? It's alright, Hermione." He pulled her to him and kissed the side of her head. She tried to blink away the fog in her mind and gave a little nod.

"Okay, thank you." She caught him in those silvery eyes again and he paused, his breathing hitched.

She was so lovely, and so incredibly broken. Gods he hated it, he knew what it was to suffer, but somehow, he didn't think he'd suffered as much as this witch.

"Let me walk you to your common room?" He questioned, shifting to stand and she stared up at him when he loomed over her. A light smile passed her face, brief and lovely.

"Please do." Her eyes twinkled and his heart clenched, he pulled her to stand and wrapped her in a brief embrace. His lips sought hers in a soft kiss and for reasons he may never understand she whimpered and held on to him for dear life.

SSHG

Hermione lay in her bed, her eyes focused on the ceiling that loomed above her. She felt confined, her skin itched at the sensation as she tried to force herself to breathe through the panic.

She'd had them before, the panic attacks, typically late at night when she allowed her mind to wander too far. She would see the faces of the dead, lingering just on the edges of her vision and it would make her skin itch.

She felt trapped, trapped with them. Their dead eyes and broken bodies.

Hermione cleared her throat and closed her eyes, her nails scratched at the surface of her arms and she tried to still the frantic motions. Her mind was racing, her nerves were tingling and her stomach was clenching uncomfortably.

For the first time since she'd gone to the past she wanted to be back in her own time, with her friends. She was feeling the pressure, the pressure to change things, to make things go the way they needed to.

It was uncomfortable at best, overwhelming near always.

And now Severus wanted her to meet his friends, his friends.

Who were they? Death eaters? She couldn't remember him, even on their long nights spent together, hiding away in the smallest of spaces and talking into the early morning hours, ever mentioning having friends.

She grasped her sheets, longing for those moments, wanting them back, even if for only a second.

"Bugger." She growled and tossed the sheets from her body, she was covered in a thin, sticky sheen of sweat, her hands were clammy. She threw her feet from the bed first and jammed them, rather violently into her ragged slippers before she rushed from the dorm and into the common room.

The light of the fireplace did something to soothe her nerves as she stood there, arms wrapped around herself, in an oversized shirt.

She moved close to the fire, her eyes focused on the dancing flames. A throat cleared from beside her.

"Hermione." The familiar voice of Remus met her ears and she looked over to him, he was wrapped up in a blanket, his eyes soft as he watched her, staring at the flames.  
"Are you okay?" She wasn't sure if it was the familiarity, or the softness in his voice that made her walk to the sofa and fall down beside him, her messy hair falling into her face.

"Rough night, why aren't you sleeping?" She tipped her head at him, he was watching her closely. Of course she'd noticed his intense stares, he had one of the most focused gazes she'd ever seen. It didn't surprise her, she knew he'd already been through so much, even as a teen he would have seen more than most of his friends.

"Potter snores, the Hogwarts Express may well have been in our dorm." He shook his head and gave her a wide eyed look when she burst out laughing, her chuckles shook her body.

She covered her voice to stop the crazy laughter and turned glimmering eyes on him.

She could only think of Harry, the times they'd spent sharing rooms, sharing hide-outs. Yes, she could imagine all too well how loud the snores of the elder Potter were.

"Sorry, sorry, I, had a friend at home who had a similar condition." She gave him the first open smile he could recall seeing from her and he inhaled. She was so different from the other girls in their house, in their school.

She reminded him of a wounded bird, still trying to fly but falling every time, still she would get up and jump again.

"You should smile like that more often." He turned back to the fire, the pair settled into a calm silence as she drifted in and out of sleep. When next he turned around the witch was deeply asleep, curled in a ball on the other end of the sofa.

Satisfied she was asleep, and wouldn't notice the large scars marring his chest he settled his blanket over her and stood to return to his dorm.

He could see having a friend in Hermione McGonagall, when she was screeching her annoyance.


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione was bored- okay, that was an understatement- she felt like she may die of absolute and total boredom any moment.

Severus was off, gone to visit with his friends and she was stuck standing out in the snow. It was the downside to focusing nearly all of her attention on building a relationship with one person. When that one person was gone, she had nothing to do but read.

She bit her lip, her anxiety crawling across her skin as she shuffled her feet in the snow. Severus had left abruptly.

She couldn't remember when he took the mark, at what age?

She'd been wracking her brain all morning trying to figure it out, to remember when it was he'd handed himself over to Voldemort.

She thought it was after his graduation from Hogwarts, in fact, she was almost certain.

Still she couldn't help the worry that bubbled in her chest.

"Hermione, what exactly are you doing?" She froze and turned slowly to look over her shoulder, exhaled a breath.

"Remus," she put a hand to her chest. "I thought you may be Sirius and I just am not ready to deal with him today." The man shook his head, shaggy brown hair fell into his face as she gave him a soft smile.

"What are you out and about doing today? And without your guardian I see." He chuckled, Hermione felt relaxed around him, more relaxed than anyone else and she was glad for it.

She'd worried she would just spend her entire time in the past tense. It was nice to let her shoulders drop.

Funnily enough it was the man who'd almost killed them during his transformation when she'd been younger. The very one Severus had protected them from, the reason her crush had begun to bloom as a youth in the first place.

She shook herself from her thoughts, her eyes lighting back onto Remus' face.

"Well, my guardian, as you put it, is away for the day and I really am feeling a bit lost without him." She blushed a little, rubbed the back of her head, an action that only managed to endear her to the lycanthrope all the more.

"I see, Sirius and James are out on a double date, gone to Hogsmeade, would you like some company?" He cocked a brown eyebrow and Hermione froze in place.

Would it bother Severus? She exhaled. She really needed a friend, at least one outside of the brooding teen.

"That sounds great! What did you have in mind?" He watched as she chewed her lip before her face lit up and she gave her response. Curious girl she was.

"Well, I'm certain there is plenty we can get in to. Have you ever heard of the Room of Requirement?" He questioned, Hermione cocked an eyebrow.

"Can't say I have, is it interesting?"

"Undoubtedly." He smiled and motioned for her to come with him, she fell in step beside him, her fingers hooked around one another behind her back.

SSHG

Hermione was one-hundred percent certain Remus Lupin had the most interesting version of the Room of Requirement of any she'd seen- and she'd seen quite a few.

The walls were line with row after row of bookshelves, Defense Against the Dark Arts appearing to be the most popular amongst them, though, that was just ascertained as she scanned the room. There was a roaring fire that cast very little heat into the room at the center and a plethora of comfortable cushions on the floor.

Remus settled onto a pile of red and copper pillows first, leaving Hermione to follow suit, which she did, as soon as she was finished taking in the magnificence of the room.

"This is amazing." She managed as her face continued to twist around the room, when she turned back to Remus he was giving her a broad smile.

"Glad the lady approves." His tone was playful, not like Severus' serious, deep drawl and she found it comforting. Again, it reminded her of home.

"She certainly does. So, what are you planning to do after school?" She tucked her knees to her chest and gave him an interested look, grey eyes focused.

Remus twitched, "Well, to be honest I will probably try to become an Auror, unfortunately I suffer from a condition that may make it a bit difficult." He seemed to be approaching the topic gingerly, not ready to tell her about his furry little problem, she supposed.

"I can understand that, you don't seem sickly though, so I'm sure you can do it, if you set your mind to it." She gave him a broad smile that he couldn't help but return.

"You're really different than we all thought you were."

Hermione shrugged.

"I'm not the biggest fan of being told who to associate with. Severus, he's not a bad guy, he's just misunderstood. You lot would do well to treat him better, he could do great things if he was given the right reason." He didn't miss the passion in her eyes as she spoke and he observed her for a moment, interested.

"You seem to have a lot of faith in him. His friends aren't exactly the best of people, however. Everyone is just trying to help you stay safe, help keep you from falling in with the wrong people." He explained, words that normally would have made her blood boil not sounding nearly so harsh.

"I know that, I would like nothing more than to be friends with all of you, but, I will always put Severus first."

"I'd like to say that I understand, Hermione, but I can't, but I will respect that." He gave her a smile and the serious air seemed to break, the pair fell into agreeable conversation after that.

SSHG

Hermione sat, cradled in Severus' arms as the sun set, they were in a tower of the castle, one commonly unoccupied and the sunset was casting soft oranges and reds across the room.

"Did you have a good day, Hermione?" He questioned, his long fingers were caressing her jaw, making it hard for her to think but she managed a little nod.

"I spent the day with Remus, he's really quite tolerable." She smiled up at him when he tensed, her fingers coming up to gently stroke his cheek.

"Lupin, honestly Hermione?" He grunted and made to pull away from her, she sighed to herself but held his face firm in one hand and wrapped her arm around the small of his back in an attempt to hold him there.

"He's a friend, nothing else, honestly we talked about transfiguration the entire time."

"He's dangerous." Severus grunted, his voice taking on a deeper, harsher quality. Hermione continued to caress his cheek, her fingers drawing a lazy circle on his back repeatedly.

"I'm a tough girl, Severus." She pecked the underside of his jaw and he flicked black eyes to her, holding her in his gaze.

"If you were to be hurt I don't know what I would do." He exhaled, his black eyes so full of raw emotion that it made her stomach flip.

"I feel exactly the same way, you needn't worry, nothing will happen to me." She gave him another reassuring smile and he shook his head.

"I would still prefer it if you avoided him."

"I require friends outside of you, Severus Snape." She scolded, eyebrows raised and he heaved a sigh.

"Yes, but couldn't they be someone else? Anyone else?"

"We're compatible as friends, kind of like we're compatible as a couple." She came up on her knees, she was settled between his spread legs so they were nearly the same height when she did so. Her arms draped over his shoulders and her fingers played at the hair on the nape of his neck.

His breath shook as he exhaled a groan.

"Compatible as a couple you say?" She grinned at him, her face so close he could feel her breath ghosting across his lips.

"Incredibly so, something raw, like a precision brew." She touched the tip of her nose to his and he hissed a breath. His lips seeking hers and finding them, waiting, willing.

He pulled his legs together so she could straddle them, his fingers dug into her hips as he pressed against her, his mouth wanting her, to dominate her.

Her fingers held to his hair tight, tugging now and again and drawing a groan from somewhere deep inside his chest.

She rocked her hips against him, the firmness of an erection that fought against his shorts and robes creating a delicious friction between them.

He buried his face in her throat as she rocked against him. Pulling groans and hisses from the wizard and low moans from her own throat as he nipped and sucked at her tender flesh.

His hands, large and sure helped guide her hips as she ground against him, she'd begun panting at the stimulation and he could feel himself growing close to completion.

A little frottage and he was coming unglued? That certainly wasn't like him.

It was no matter however as the witch who straddled him, who held him for dear life cried out her release, the orgasm shaking her body as he bit down on the skin of her barely concealed breast. At some point he'd managed to work her top down so that he could access the tops of the delicate mounds.

Hermione ground against him a few more times, riding out her high and allowing him to force her hips down against him roughly with his fingers. He felt like a ridiculous school boy when he finished in his pants, a grunt, and Hermione leaned against his chest.

They breathed in time for quite a while, just holding one another in the cool air of the tower before she looked up at him and into his eyes.

Her own silvery orbs were glittering her pleasure and hooded with exhaustion from her release.

"Well, that escalated quickly." She teased, a dreamy smile on her face. He snorted a laugh and cast a quick scorgify to clean away his, mess, Hermione smiled coyly.

"Merlin your beautiful." He cupped her cheek with his hand, his black eyes intense on hers.

Hermione blushed and leaned back against him, her face buried in his chest as he held her close. She could hear his heart beat.

And gods if she wasn't the happiest she could ever remember being.

She stared out the window as the snow fell daintily outside and smiled. It was a beautiful night.


	11. Chapter 11

The Holliday feast settled fast upon them, the girls of Gryffindor were all aglow, they were allowed to wear semi-formal dresses on this day and most were going all out. There would be a bit of dancing after the feast, Hermione noted it was nothing like the Yule Ball and wondered why they didn't still do it during her time, it was a surprise.

Everyone seemed so excited. Even she had to admit she could feel the familiar pulse and draw of doing something so mundane.

She'd gone to Hogsmeade and bought a little silver dress, something that wasn't nearly so low-cut or short as most of the other girls in her dorm. Save Lily, who wore something equally as tasteful in a lovely rose color that went nicely with her hair and emerald eyes.

Hermione thought the silver accented her own grey eyes nicely and made her auburn hair pop. It was still strange to her, to look into the mirror and see someone who looked like her, but not quite. She understood the need, it was just hard to see sometimes, a stormy grey that almost looked like Malfoy's at times where amber had once sparkled back at her, auburn where deep brown had once settled around her shoulders.

It was pretty, it just wasn't the same.

Both had been changed permanently, neither would go back to their original colors and she was glad she didn't have to maintain a charm to keep them that way, it helped the constant drain from keeping her scars hidden.

She pulled on her dress and smiled at the effect in the mirror. It was a tight cut with a sheath of silvery Chiffon that separated in the front to show off the fitted, almost knee length skirt and flowed down to her calves in the back in smooth waves. She ran her fingers over the material reverently and smiled to herself.

How many more opportunities would she have to do this? She didn't think there would be many. She slipped into a low pair of silver flats and tried to give herself a confident smile. It fell short when she saw Lily Evans staring at her hard and chose to turn, eyes averted she slipped from the room and then the common room, into the cool hall.

SSHG

Severus sat, his black eyes surveying the crowds of students as they entered the changed great hall, there were round tables littering the room, white and silver cloths thrown over them and candles set in their middles. No house tables, just a large room full of students who all attended the same school.

He was watching for Hermione, cursing himself for not going to get her from her common room but knowing that a Slytherin outside of the Gryffindor common room could only spell disaster.

A hand on his shoulder tugged his attention away from his watching and he was surprised to be met with a pair of emerald eyes, as always, she took his breath away and he forced himself not to groan. Wasn't it enough for her he was moving on, finally leaving the ghost of her that haunted him in the past?

"We need to talk, Sev." She dropped her hand away, green eyes sparkled and Severus sighed, shook his head.

"There's nothing to talk about." His voice almost cracked and betrayed him but he was oh so glad when it did not.

"You know there is, how could you? Drag that girl down with you? It's despicable." She hissed, her eyes narrowed as she stared down at him, he stood, abrupt, his irritation peeked.

How was it any of _her_ business who he involved himself with? She'd made it abundantly clear she wanted nothing to do with him, ever again.

"Shouldn't you find your boyfriend and his mutts?" Severus snarled, his face set in a hard line and Lily shook her head, emerald eyes bore into him.

"Who even are you?" Her shoulders slumped. "Just, think about what I said, don't drag that girl down with you, she doesn't deserve whatever path it is you're choosing to walk." She made to turn but he cleared his throat and caught her attention again.

"How, pray tell, is it any of your business who I involve myself with? Hasn't she spoken with you herself, expressed her opinion?" Lily shook her head.

"We spoke, she thinks she knows you."

 _"_ _She does know me."_ He hissed, his eyes narrowed, he couldn't recall ever being quite so furious with the redhead before him.

"I don't think she does…" Lily trailed, brushed red hair behind her ear. Severus was coiled, muscles taut as he stared, flabbergasted.

"Why is it so hard for you to believe that someone could care for me, beyond the love of a friend?" His face turned down, black hair shielded his face, she didn't budge, only stared at him with hard eyes.

"You make it hard to believe anyone would want to follow you into the evil you pursue." She bit her lip, eyes sparkled. His face turned up to glare into hers.

"She doesn't think I'm evil." His tone was flat, darkness permeated his face, burned from his eyes.

"She doesn't know you yet." Lily turned and walked away, left him to slump into a chair, his face in his hands.

SSHG

"Stop." Hermione rounded on Lily, she'd seen their argument, knew that the redhead had confronted her former friend.

"I can't." Lily's eyes shot up to Hermione's, a battle of wills as they stared at one another, James wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulder and Hermione almost scoffed. It wasn't as if she was going to attack the other witch.

And frankly, if she was she would do it somewhere much more _private_.

"You can, and you will. Leave him be, stop harassing us. It isn't any of your business anymore what he does. He was your friend, he's not anymore, I get that. He isn't evil, the only one pushing him toward a dark path is _you_." Hermione bit out.  
"Before I came here, my aunt, she told me all about you five, I was excited to meet you, to make friends with you. I understand now though, you're only good to those you deem worthy." She turned on her heel and left to comfort Severus.

She could feel her hair as it bounced around her shoulders and the smooth chiffon of her dress as it brushed her calves, cool and calming.

"Is this seat taken?" Hermione smiled down at Severus when she stood beside his table. His eyes flicked up to meet hers and the vaguest of smiles took over his face. She grinned, grey eyes sparkled as he stood to greet her, his eyes taking in her figure.

"You look amazing." He blinked, his fingers trailed her hips as he watched her catch her bottom lip between her teeth and blush faintly.

"Thank you."

"I thought maybe you'd changed your mind, about being here with me." He breathed, his black eyes traced her face and she brought her hand up to cup his cheek. He had an advocate in her and she would never let him hurt the way Lily made him hurt for long.

"I couldn't imagine being here with anyone else." She caressed his cheek gently with her thumb before dropping her hand.  
"I simply had to have a word with some fellow Gryffindors before I joined you." A wicked little smirk took her face and Severus watched her, black eyebrows furrowed.

"You didn't."

"Of course I did."

"Strange, strange little witch."

"Your strange little witch, I hope?" She smiled up at him, he caught her hips in large hands, his lips captured hers in a kiss far too intense to be so brief.

"Yes, most definitely mine."

"Good." She grinned up at him and he shook his head, black hair danced around his face.

"Sit, eat, I wish to have you alone as quickly as possible." He pulled her chair out and she cocked an eyebrow, silvery eyes sparkled.

"You won't be dancing with me?" His eyes flashed wickedly, a smirk on his face.

"Of course we shall dance, not here." He winked and she had to catch her breath. Did he really just wink at her?

"Be still my heart, such a romantic you are, Severus." She covered her chest, her heart was genuinely beating out a crazy rhythm however and she had to try and catch her breath discretely.

His lips turned up in the most delicious of smirks and she blinked at him, wondering just what was going through his head.


	12. Chapter 12

"Are you ready, Hermione?" Severus questioned, a hand offered to her, her focus shifted from couples dancing to his face and she smiled.

"Where will we go, Severus?" She cocked an eyebrow, a coy smile on her face. He smirked, his black eyes sparkling.

"I can certainly think of a few places I would enjoy _taking_ you." Hermione could feel her face flush bright red, her focus locked on his glinting black eyes.

"I'll follow where ever you may go." She hooked her slender fingers into his, cool to the touch and allowed him to pull her gently to her feet.

It was easy for them to slip from the dining area and into the cool air of the castle halls. He lead her, by her hand up several flights of stairs to a room she recognized better than any other.

Did everyone know about the room? It seemed like it, she almost scoffed, and here it was supposed to be some great secret. He didn't speak his intention as she watched him pace the front of the entrance several times. She watched with her arms wrapped around herself in the chilled air and smiled when the door opened.

With a hand on the small of her back Severus urged her into the room and she jumped a bit when the door slammed shut behind them.

It was strange, the electric thrills that shot across her skin as she looked around the room.

Candles, set in large holders, some on the floor and some on the walls, edged the room, giving it a faint glow. There was, as with every room in Hogwarts a fireplace to provide warmth that immediately dulled the chill she felt on her exposed skin.

The floor in the center was cleared and she gave a little smile. He really was going to dance with her.

"I hope this suits, I do not fancy being in the midst of hundreds of others with you. I want you alone, my Hermione." He cocked an eyebrow at her when her awed face turned to him and she gave him a broad smile. Likely the largest he'd ever seen on her face.

It was miraculous, that smile. She made him want to put it on her face all the time. Every chance he had.

"It's perfect. Who would have guessed you were such a romantic." His eyes flashed again at her playful tone and he grasped her hand to tug her into his arms, flush with his body he grasped her hips, her hands naturally fell to his shoulders just as he began to sway them.

"For you, I will be anything. I cannot imagine a life without you in it, not anymore." He watched her face closely, waiting for her to pull away. Instead she shocked him by laying her head against his chest and allowing him to settle his chin atop her wild auburn curls.

"I've had such a painful life, up until now I only knew happiness when I was in the presence of my friends. When I had to leave them I worried I'd never be happy again. Thank you, for giving me my joy back." One of his hands left her hips, moved to stroke her hair in gentle motions.

"I have to ask, I know this may be a bit crude but have you ever been in a relationship? Have you, been with anyone?" Hermione paused, leaned against him and Severus held her fast, as if worried she would flee. One of his hands was buried in her hair, grasping her back.

She inhaled, and exhaled, and then again quite a few times before she managed to speak.

"I, well, to be honest…" She exhaled again, her mouth pulled into a thin line when she moved back to look into his face. "No, no I haven't. I was far too busy, preoccupied by…other things." He didn't like the look on her face and he blinked down at her, she looked so sad, so vulnerable in that moment.

He did the only thing he could think of, he wrapped her in his arms and held her to his chest.

To hell with what Lily said, this witch, she was everything he could want, she was perfect in so many ways. It was just unfortunate she was broken in so many more.

"I don't mind that, I just, I needed to know." He spoke into the hair at the crown of her head, his lips pressed to the warmth there as she held him, her arms wrapped around his back.  
"We'll take it slow, Hermione, as slow as you need." His voice was a rasp when he spoke again and he could feel her face twist into a grin against his chest.

"I need you, Severus." She pulled back, a little smirk tipped the corner of her lips, she shocked him further when a heavy rug appeared in the middle of the room. He had no doubt there was a cushioning charm beneath it.

It stirred him, his attraction to her and he returned her girlish smirk with one of his own, much more devilish in nature.

"Well, who am I to deny the witch what she desires?" He pulled away, took both of her hands and walked backwards as he pulled her toward the rug. He sat, pulled her with a squealing giggle into his lap and caressed the soft fabric that covered her side.  
"I adore this dress you've worn." His breath moved across her ear, his lips barely touched the shell and she shivered on top of him.

"I'd hoped you would like it." Her face flushed, her silver eyes locked on the smooth fabric of his dress robes.

"Like is not the word for it, my Hermione." He exhaled, his breath stirred her hair just as he used two fingers to tip her chin up, forcing her eyes to meet his.  
"I'm going to kiss you now." He didn't wait for her response, simply allowed himself to be absorbed in her. His lips took hers with a pleasurable force that made her groan into his mouth, giving him access to the soft cavern.

Her tongue warred with his, her body shifted to give him better access and he hooked his fingers into the hair on the back of her head, held her tight around the small of her back and lowered her beneath him.

Soon he hovered above her, his arms came up to hold his weight as soon as she was settled gently onto the floor. Her back arched, forced her chest against his as they kissed and he broke away.

The first thing she noticed was the dark look in his eyes, the same one he'd given her time and again in her own time.

It sent a thrill through her to realize it was lust.

What she'd always thought was hate, was in reality lust. It felt good, it felt empowering to know she could spark such strong feeling in him regardless of the time they occupied together.

Her fingers worked their way up his chest as he stared down at her, black hair creating a curtain around his face.

She gave a tentative smile and undid the first button of his dress robes. The wizard's nostrils flared, pupils dilated and Hermione knew she was leading them to a point they may never be able to come back from.

"If at any time you wish to stop…" He kissed her cheekbone, the side of her nose, her jaw, and chin as she undid button, after button. Soon the dress robes were hanging loose from him, exposing the pale skin beneath.

When her fingers played across his bared chest he groaned and his eyes closed, his arms shuddered holding him up.

"I trust you." His eyes flicked open, intensely black as they stared into her own. And she meant it, meant it from the pit of her stomach.

"You shouldn't." He hissed and Hermione grasped his shoulders before she put her elbows beneath herself, propped on her elbows brought her face closer to his and she bit at his lower lip. The action earned a deep groan.

"Too late." She whispered just as he sat up so he was on his knees, straddling her thighs and staring down at her.

"Thank Merlin for that. I can't have you trying to escape." He smirked, the mood shifted again and Hermione shivered as his eyes took her in. Auburn hair splayed around her, soft in the glowing candlelight, the little dip at the corner of her lips, the subtly exposed soft skin of her chest before the rest of its milky expanse dipped below the silvery garment.

"Not going anywhere." She brought her hands down to rub his thighs over his trousers and he grunted. His black eyes pinched closed for a moment before his hands were hooking beneath the fabric of her dress. She lifted her hips so he could pull the soft fabric from her lower half before he eased it up so that her stomach was exposed.

She lifted herself and soon the dress was gone, discarded on the floor beside them. He shrugged of his dress robes and they joined it on the stone floor.

"Gods you are magnificent." He groaned again, long, lightly callused fingers trailed the sides of her midriff and she shivered.

Her eyes closed as they skimmed the edge of her bra and he leant down, dipped to pepper little bites and kisses across her milky neck before he took her lips again. He had every intention of making this moment last.


	13. Chapter 13

Severus had, once upon a time not so long ago, thought that he understood love.

He'd foolishly believed that love for him was flaring red hair and bright green eyes, it was long days spent staring at the sky. He'd thought, once upon a time, that love was Lily's soft voice and pouting lips, that her smile was his everything.

Now, now with Hermione beneath him, silvery eyes wide and trusting, he was second guessing all of that.

Had it truly been love? Had he fooled himself into believing that their friendship could ever have been more? It baffled him, that he could have found traces of love in Lily, Lily who only touched him as a friend, Lily who looked upon him with pity.

But then, would he have ever seen it for the truth if Hermione had not all but fallen into his lap? He wasn't certain he would have.

Cool fingers on his face brought him back to the present and his eyes focused, drinking in the sight of a flushed witch beneath him. She was beautiful, all soft curves and splayed curls. Her lips were already plumped from his kisses and he knew them to be the softest petals. Sweet and savory like nothing he'd ever experienced.

"Are you okay, Severus?" Her face twisted in worry and he groaned, his face fell to the crook of her neck and he inhaled her soft scent. Feminine vanilla and peach mixed with the slight musk of books older than any living wizard or witch.

"I was just thinking, what I may be going through were you not here." Her fingers hooked into his black hair, her nails caressed his scalp delicately as she bent forward to kiss his temple gently.

"Why think on what isn't happening, especially now." Her voice was melodic, playful, and it brought back to the fore of his mind that she was deliciously undressed beneath him. He had but to remove her bra and knickers and he would be able to touch every inch of her. Feel every inch of her soft skin pressed against him.

He pulled back, black eyes raking up and down her body in a moment that made her flesh burn.

The mood of their time together seemed to shift and change so quickly, they could go from somber to lustful in a heartbeat. It was almost dizzying for Hermione.

"You're right, my Hermione, I don't know what came over me." He smirked, black eyes sparkling in the dim light before his lips were on hers again. She immediately relaxed into his kiss, followed his lead wherever he may take her and allowed him to consume her.

So wrapped up in his kiss was she that she barely noted he was lifting her from her back and undoing the clasp of her bra with nimble fingers. Gods she'd fantasized about those fingers so many times!

And now they were on her, it was enough to make her head spin.

The bra came away and he lay her back gently, his hand drifting down further to work the edge of her knickers, she whined into the kiss and pulled back, taut nipples rubbed against the soft skin of his chest.

"I hardly think this is fair, Severus." She gave a pointed glance to his trousers and cocked an eyebrow. He still wore his boots as well, while her shoes had conveniently fallen off at some point.

His eyes flashed, dark in the low light and her spine shivered. Hermione had never seen something quite so predatory in her life. It sent little thrills of excitement through her that made her want to leap at him and pull his face back to hers.

Gods she really did have it bad.

"I suppose you may remove them, if you wish them gone." He sat back on his haunches, his black eyes daring her to move. She pulled herself up and stood, her stomach level with his face for a moment as he continued to crouch.

His tongue, and then teeth came forward and grazed the sensitive skin of her stomach, coming toward her hip bone before he pulled back, her moans enough to force his now completely interested cock from his trousers if she did not remove them soon.

Severus pulled himself quite elegantly to his feet and watched with a smoldering gaze as her trembling fingers came up first to undo the button, and then the zip. She licked her lips when the thick fabric slipped down enough to expose the bare skin of his hip.

She hadn't realized he'd chosen to go without his shorts. The vee of his hips directed her eyes downward, toward the proud length of his manhood and her own eyes flashed. Severus groaned at the sight.

She was going to undo him with just a look if she wasn't careful.

It was with a swiftness that he grasped her knickers and in one fluid motion pulled them down so she could shimmy them from her feet, his own feet kicked his boots away- where- he didn't care.

He watched again, his gaze dark as she pulled the trousers down and he stepped from them. His focus shifted for only a moment as he thought of what he needed.

He would not have this witch on a floor, no, she would be his in a bed, a bed that had never been occupied by another.

She grinned when the small-ish four poster appeared, swathed in black and red silks.

"How beautiful." She gave a surprised squeak when he suddenly hooked his arms beneath her knees and back and swept her from her place in front of him, walking her to the bed. Her eyes were on his as he moved, her gaze so intense it made him feel a bit disoriented.

"Only the best, I want it to be…" He paused, looked as if he was searching for a word. And truly this was difficult for him, he'd never cared enough in the past, never given thought to how he took a woman, where he took her. Only that the body could sate his urges, he often found himself taking his frustrations with Lily out on some. Though they only ever left satisfied.

He wanted this witch to feel special, to be satisfied, and know she meant more to him than just a wild fuck after an incredibly boring feast.

"I understand." Her fingers cupped his cheek as he settled her into the soft, cool sheets and she hummed at the feeling of them beneath her skin. She was gorgeous, the swell of her breasts, the curve of her hip. He watched her and soon found that she watched him as well.

And Hermione was not disappointed by what she found. No, Severus Snape may not have been an Adonis by any means, still, his figure, his form was perfect to her.

He was slender, and tall, his lightly pronounced muscles and defined hips were aided in drawing her eyes lower by a fine trail of sparse, course black hair that trailed to circle neatly around his fully erect cock.

She licked her lips, her fingers itched to reach out and touch him and wondered why she was stopping herself.

He wanted her, didn't he?

Of course he did, he wouldn't be here if he didn't.

"Severus, come to me." She motioned with a hand, he had taken a step back, his eyes locked on her and he seemed to snap from a sort of reverie.

It was all he needed to draw him to her, her fingers skimming his abdomen before he could even mount the bed. Her eyes trailed his chest and shoulders as she caressed him with gentle hands. It was his turn to shudder. He released a low growl, his lips finding her chest, just above perky tits and his mouth went to work.

Hermione moaned and writhed beneath him, her gorgeous eyes closed as he worked his way slowly to the rosy peaks of her perfect breasts. His mouth latched onto one pert nipple while the other was rolled between his fingers, just enough pressure to cause a gasp of pleasure to burst from her. He smirked into the breast in his mouth as his fingers released her nipple and worked their way down, skimming her abdomen and hip before finally settling on the soft hair of her womanhood.

He was surprised by the texture, much softer than he'd expected and his mouth released her breast, his face coming up to look at her.

"Open your eyes." He breathed, his breath caressed her face and her silvery eyes snapped open, his hand had stilled on her mons, going no further.  
"Can I touch you, Hermione?" He grunted, his hand hovered and she blinked up at him, her pupils pinpricks.

"Yes, oh please do." It was all the permission he needed, his fingers delved between silk folds to find her already so incredibly wet for him. It spurred his passion and his mouth was on hers again. Hot and demanding. Hermione moaned loudly when his thumb caressed her sensitive clit and a finger slipped inside her sopping core.

She almost cried out when his finger began to move, another joining it as they hooked and sought a friction that would bring her the most pleasure.

Her first orgasm was a dizzying experience, her eyes pinched shut as the shudders rocked her body and his fingers slipped from her core he held her for a moment, still but hovering above her.

"You are okay?" His lips were pulled into a thin line as he stared down at her, black eyes filled with concern, she quaked beneath him and her eyes finally opened after several minutes. He took that time to stroke the sides of her face.

"Better than, oh gods Severus." She groaned, she could feel his firm erection press against her mons and she suddenly found she wanted it. Wanted him.

Now, she needed him now.

Her fingers found their way to his lower back as he held her and she nipped at his neck, earning a low, guttural growl from the wizard.

"Hermione, if you're not ready-" She stopped him with her lips on his, kissed him for a long moment before she managed to pull herself back.

"I'm ready, stop with your incessant dawdling." She winked up at him and he growled, his muscles tensing as he hovered above her.

"If you insist." He entered her with a smooth stroke, his cock buried in her to the hilt and he couldn't help the low groan of pleasure that escaped him when her muscles tightened around him.  
"Gods, so tight." He grunted, his face coming down to lay in the crook of her neck, his lips playing at her neck as he began to move. She was still, stiller than he would have preferred for the first few moments but soon she was finding a rhythm with him.

A rhythm that made his thrusts harder, more aggressive as she met him. Met him and took him and when he looked into her face her head was tipped back in pleasure.

When she moaned deeply, an animal sound that came from somewhere deep within he thrust once, twice more, harder, going as deep as he could. She cried out, her orgasm spasmed her walls around him and forced his own, the walls milked him for all he was worth as he fell to his elbows atop her. He froze when he felt the moisture on her face.  
Oh Merlin, he hadn't hurt her, had he?


	14. Chapter 14

Severus held her face, his black eyes searching as he wiped at her cheeks with gentle thumbs. His heart was clenching in his chest, it hadn't been his intention to hurt her.

He must have though, if she was crying, _she wouldn't open her eyes. Why wouldn't she open her eyes?_

His stomach churned as he continued to stroke the tears away, his warm figure still hovering above her and her eyes were pinched shut so tightly it must have been painful. His brow furrowed, his mouth was incredibly dry and when he tried to swallow he found a lump in his throat.

"Hermione?" He rasped. "Hermione, gods, I haven't hurt you have I? Are you okay? Oh, my beautiful witch I'm so sorry if I was too rough." He would never forgive himself if he'd hurt her.

He felt sick.

Silver eyes flicked open and she watched him with bloodshot eyes, shifted slightly beneath him. His thumbs were still wiping away the steady stream of tears.

"Oh Severus, you didn't hurt me!" She cried, he looked lost, his eyes searching her face.

If he didn't hurt her what was wrong? Did she regret it? Did she regret being with him?

He felt his stomach clench tighter, he didn't know if he could handle her rejecting him after such a passionate coupling. This wasn't something he did, this wasn't care he gave to just anyone.

"No, no Severus, don't look like that, it wasn't you!" She cleared her throat, the flow of tears finally slowed as she reached up to touch his cheek, he felt himself relax, however minutely it was.  
"I just, it was so perfect, and you, you are so perfect, and I'm, Merlin I'm so horrible." She sobbed, her hand left his face and she covered her own, her hands hiding her reddened face from him. He furrowed his brow, unsure how she could possibly be horrible.

How had this all been sparked by passionate lovemaking?

He just couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"You asked if I'd ever been with anyone, before-hand, and, well, I lied, I guess, kind of?" She sobbed through her hands, she sounded so confused, so broken. He didn't understand, he finally managed to roll from her though and lay on his side. It took him little effort to pull her into his chest.

"I wouldn't have cared either way." He grunted, his mouth on the top of her head. What was happening?

"I have to show you something." She exhaled, pulled herself from his arms, which was a bit of a struggle when he held her so tightly. He was hard pressed to release her. She stood in the firelight as he sat up in the bed, his black eyes focused on her soft skin. His skin, she was his, his witch. He could take, accept anything she told him.

He wouldn't deny her, couldn't.

He nearly groaned to himself, he'd been coming to the realization over the course of the evening. But now, now it was so glaringly apparent.

 _He loved her._

Hermione dropped charm after charm, the scar on her arm she'd already shown him appearing first. Soon they'd all fallen away and he stared at this witch, his witch, her body marred and brutalized by things he wasn't sure he would ever understand.

The large scar on her neck was one he was having a hard time tearing his eyes away from. She turned her face away from him. Shame, that was the only description for what it was so obvious she felt.

He stood, completely unaware of his nudity as he bridged the gap to her quickly, his hands grasping at her. He wouldn't release when she tried to squirm away and he growled, stilling her immediately.

"I don't give two shits if you are scarred, Hermione." He hissed, his voice so low she could barely hear him as he stared into her eyes. He risked lifting a hand and running his fingers across the deep scar on the side of her neck. It was raised beneath his fingers but still soft and he wanted to know how she'd acquired it.

What exactly had been done to his witch?

Again, he was faced with the realization that there were things she was _not_ telling him. That was the most troubling thing of all. He wanted her to know she could tell him anything, _anything._

"What did you mean when you said you lied?" She exhaled, another sob shook her shoulders.

"I was captured, one of my best friends had just been tortured to death, called a blood traitor. I can still remember her screams." Hermione looked like she'd gone somewhere far away and he grasped her tighter, pulled her into his chest.  
"She was so beautiful, she was wonderful, strong and magnificent, she didn't deserve it. She held out, didn't scream until the very end. I'll never forget the sound of her death, I'll never forget the look in her eyes."

Where did they torture people for being 'blood-traitors', there was something deeply troubling about her description. The faraway look in her eyes.

"When she was dead, laying in the floor beside me it was my turn. They tortured me, there was one man in particular who, well he…" He knew where she was going and he needed her to stop, stop before she shattered in front of him, fell apart in his arms.

"I understand, I understand." He cooed into her hair, pulled her back toward the bed. Her eyes were swollen and sore, his chest wet with her tears as he lay her down and pulled himself around her. He cocooned them in the soft blankets and held her to his chest.

"No more, you didn't lie, it isn't your fault. Shh, shh." He stroked her hair and held her to him.

He would get to the bottom of what was going on with her. He _would_ find out why his witch was so broken. If not from her than from someone else, McGonagall, Dumbledore. It didn't matter to him who he needed to confront.

He _would_ find out where she'd come from.

But first, first he would give her a chance to tell him. He would give her time. Until the end of the year, perhaps. He held her close and she clung to him.

"I didn't hurt you though, correct? You are okay?"

"I'm better than okay!" She cried. "How can you be so wonderful?" She cried as she grasped him, she couldn't reconcile this Severus Snape with the one from her own time.

Was she really having so great an impact on him? She hoped so, it would make her task that much easier.

She wanted to tell him that she loved him, she wanted to tell him so many things before she fell asleep in his arms. Unfortunately, exhaustion took her, the soothing stroking of his hand down her back lulled her into a deep sleep.

Severus held her for the rest of the night, wide awake with a racing mind. He was trying to piece it all together, felt like he was on the brink of knowing, he just needed a few pieces of the puzzle. Just a few.

SSHG

Hermione woke to find deep, dark eyes staring down at her. Her eyes burned and it took her a moment to remember where she was, to remember what had happened.

Immediately she felt a rush of embarrassment crash over her, her eyes pinched shut.

"Oh gods, I'm so stupid." She groaned, "know-it-all my arse." She grumbled, when her eyes opened she found Severus staring at her with a cocked eyebrow.

"I quite like your arse, though I get the feeling that is not what you are groaning about." He smirked and Hermione shook her head, buried her face in his chest and groaned.

"How could you possibly want me after _that_ display last night." She groaned into his chest, her voice muffled by his arm across her face. She felt safe, cocooned in him.

It kept the horror at being naked in a bed with him at bay. At least for the moment.

"Display? I would hardly call showing me your vulnerable side a display Hermione. You are mine, are you not?" He felt her soft nod. "Then I believe it is my right to know everything you have to tell, how else am I to understand you, to know how best to treat you, to care for you?" His voice was deep, husky from a lack of sleep and so incredibly warm.

The hard life he'd lived in her future really had impacted his personality drastically, hadn't it? She wondered if this wizard, the young, compassionate wizard was buried beneath the Severus Snape of 1997, it did her no good to wonder.

She was never going back there. Not until they aged and grew into that time.

It had been made perfectly clear that, with the use of the seed of Kronos she would never be able to return to the future.

Hermione snaked an arm around his back and snuggled her face closer to his warmth. He looked like he would be cold, all pale and willowy, in reality he was quite firm beneath his robes that hid him so well, and incredibly warm.

It was a pleasant discovery.

His fingers ran delicately through her hair as both just lay, breathing one another in for a few moments.

"Now, how are you feeling this morning?" She pulled back to look into his face, the soft look in his eyes despite his relatively placid expression.

"Much better than last night, thank you." She paused, her tongue flicked out to lick her lips and his eyes focused there. "I hope no one has noticed our absence." Severus rolled onto his back, one arm still hooked around her and snagged his wand from behind him on the bed.

A tempus cast showed it was only six in the morning, on a Saturday there would be few students awake, if any.

"I think it will be safe to sneak back to our dorms, if that is what you would like." He dropped the wand back to its place and rolled back to her, staying on his side so he could look into her face.

The sheets were pulled up over her breasts but he was still entranced by the gentle rise and fall of her chest. The way silvery eyes gazed up at him.

"I would rather stay with you, I have to admit." She blinked, glanced to the door and rolled onto her side to face him. He moved so his arm was beneath her head and she draped her arm over his hip. He found he completely approved of the intimate position.  
"But, I have no desire to argue with Lily, and so I must say that it would be best we slip back to our dorms."

She watched him, his face didn't flinch when she said the witch's name and she felt a deep relief rush through her. He didn't feel pain at her name, that had to mean something, didn't it?

"She needs to keep her interests in order." He growled, Hermione smiled at him, her hand moved from his hip to caress the side of his face.

"She will, she means well, really she does. She just doesn't see what I see." He hooked an auburn curl around her finger and inhaled deeply, his soft breath caressed her face with his exhale.

"You have far too much faith in those around you." He grumbled, Hermione smirked.

"That faith seems to have earned me a very special wizard." She wrinkled her nose and ran her fingers through silky black hair quickly.  
"Now, where is my dress."

Both twisted to glance out of the bed to find the fabric, wrinkled and discarded.

Hermione groaned, this was one of those moments she was incredibly glad for magic, she decided. She would definitely need to transfigure the garment into something else, if she would be believed to not have stayed out of her dorm all night.


	15. Chapter 15

_XV -Pretty Girl in Love_

"I assure you Hermione, Lucius would never do anything rude, or untoward, he knows how I feel for you." Hermione was stood, directly in front of Severus staring up at him. She'd been denying him his desire that she meet his 'friends' for some time and she was running out of arguments.

She was running out of excuses.

All she knew for sure was that she could not see the blonde, future patriarch of the Malfoy family, she could not see his future wife, or his future wife's sister.

She shuddered, snatched her hand away from his chest and used it to massage her temple as he gave her a hurt look.

"Severus, it's not that I don't want to meet your friends. I just, I don't know how they'll receive me." It was a last ditch attempt, halfhearted and quiet as she kept her back to him. Large hands covered her shoulders, tangling in her hair. He pulled her back flush with him and held her there, his lips lowered to the top of her head as he breathed in the soft scent of her hair.

She shivered but tried to hold her ground. She couldn't do it.

Not Bellatrix, not again, not ever. She'd killed that witch in the future, she was almost certain she would do again if she had the chance. Especially if it gave her the opportunity to stop the mad witch from ever killing Minerva, from slaughtering Molly Weasley, as well as ending the life of Tonks- whilst she was still pregnant.

Hermione chewed her lip as she allowed his warmth to wrap itself around her.

It just wasn't something she could cope with, she knew this about herself, and still she gave a little nod.

"If it means that much to you." She finally exhaled, she could feel his smile in her hair, his arms came down to wrap around her waist as he held her more tightly.

"You mean so much to me, I swear they will not be cruel to you." Severus didn't miss Hermione muttering under her breath, still though he didn't catch the words and chose to shrug it off.  
"I will alert Lucius we shall be visiting this weekend, is that fair to you?" Hermione turned to look up at him.

"Christmas is next week, can't we do it after that?" She tilted her head, a little pout on her lips. Severus squinted at her.

"Are you pouting at me, witch?" He groaned, Hermione stifled a laugh and tried to keep the pout on her face.

"And if I am?"

"I can hardly see why you would think that is effective." He grunted, Hermione wrapped her arms around his slim abdomen and buried her face in his chest. His fingers hooked into her hair at her shoulder blades, a habitual grasp.

"I just want you all to myself, Severus." She smirked into his chest and he groaned, his fingers dug deeper into her hair. He grasped enough to hold enough that it wouldn't hurt her when he tugged her head back by her hair and smashed his lips onto hers.

Their kissing was passionate, their mouths moved in perfect sync and their bodies pressed against one another as he held her by fistfuls of her hair. She groaned into the kiss, her hands roamed around his slim abdomen with a sense of lazy exploration. He nipped and bit at her bottom lip, his tongue flicked out to taste her and she hummed into the kiss.

This witch, his beautiful witch always matched him, her tenacity in all things made him love her that much more. She was beautiful, and witty, and soft. He couldn't help but wonder, even as his mouth devoured hers, why she was so hesitant to meet his friends.

It was another of the reasons he couldn't stop himself from wondering where she'd come from, what she'd been through.

When they finally broke apart his rested his forehead against hers, black eyes intense as he stared down into her own.

"I love you, Hermione." She froze, her face blank as she stared up at him before she graced him with the largest smile, the largest most genuine smile he'd ever seen from her.

"I love you too Severus." Hermione knew right then she needed to tell him, she didn't have a choice anymore. He loved her, he would understand.

He had to.

SSHG

"Why are we here?" Severus glanced around the empty astronomy tower, it was incredibly cold, he could see his breath dance in front of his face. She'd asked him to meet her there with a note during lunch and he'd come, exactly when she'd asked him to.

She stood, arms wrapped around herself with her back to him, a red cloak draped around her shoulders that blew in the breeze through the open windows. There was snow, falling softly, some caught in her hair before melting into liquid. He moved to approach her but she stopped him with a word.

"I have something I have to tell you."

He exhaled, was this what he'd been waiting for? Would he finally understand her, everything she said and did? Would it all finally make sense? Gods he hoped so.

"I'm listening." His voice was quieter than he'd expected, it caught him off guard, the husky rasp that came from him. He was worried.

Worried what she would tell him.

Still he needed to know.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, auburn hair catching the moonlight and refracting it in shimmers and sparkles, the drops of melted snow aiding the shimmer. Her eyes were pure silver, also reflecting the moon's light at him as she stared back.

"Please don't hate me." She breathed, before her face turned back to the white grounds of Hogwarts in front of her. It was a Sunday, and Holiday break, there was literally no one about to mar the lovely coating of snow that shimmered on the ground below.

"I adore you."

"That doesn't mean you won't hate me."

"I could never hate you." He asserted, his tone forceful enough to make her shoulders lock. She smiled, rather sadly to herself, certain he couldn't see her.

She took a deep breath, inhaled as much of the crisp winter night air as she could and spun on her heel to face him.

"I'm from the future." Severus stilled, he swore even the blood in his veins ceased to flow.


	16. Chapter 16

Severus watched her with wide eyes, the black pupil nearly indistinguishable from his iris in the overreaching darkness of the tower.

"What," he shook his head, black hair swayed around his face as he watched her, his eyes narrowed. "What exactly do you mean, the future?"

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself, the red cloak blew around her, grasping at her ankles like suffocating hands. He was half tempted to rip it away, instead she only watched him with a level gaze.

"Hear me out, completely." Her expression was as serious as she could give, she wet her lips as he watched her, his gaze had turned scrutinizing.

"You better not be mocking me, witch." He growled, his voice low, incredibly reminiscent of the Severus Snape she'd known in the future. She had to admit, she could see little glimpses of him, the angry standoffish man. Though the glimpses were small.

"Of course I'm not, you will hear me out, won't you?" She tipped her head to the side fractionally, auburn curls stirred in the breeze and shivered around her face.

"I-" he paused, "yes."

Hermione gave a little nod and backed against the wall just beside the window, she propped her back against it and wet her lips again. She was nervous, so nervous her palms were sweating even in the cool night air. She needed to do this though, she needed to tell him, before Christmas. She couldn't deny her love for him, it had built quickly the more time they spent together.

When he'd told her he loved her it solidified that need for her into something very, extraordinarily real. He needed to know.

"I'm from the future, Severus. The year nineteen-ninety-seven to be precise." She cocked an eyebrow, he nodded, a gesture she should continue, he was listening, and not nearly so shocked as he'd been the first time she'd said it.  
"There is a man, I'm not sure if you've been introduced to him yet, you were…vague…at best on the timeline of your service under him." She pursed her lips as she thought, Severus furrowed his brow. He was vague? His service? What was she going on about?

"You may know him as Tom Riddle, perhaps the Dark Lord, as you called him, or perhaps Voldemort as he was known to the rest of us. He kills everyone, everyone who means anything to either one of us. He's a wicked, evil man, he can't feel love, he strives for blood purity, only the pure-bloods and half-bloods should live. His follower, Bellatrix Black-Lestrange gave me the scar I showed you." She paused for a breath, letting the words sink in.

"The Dark Lord?" He looked struck, his face a blank slate but his eyes on fire as he stared at her.

"You want his power, the power he offers you. But Severus, it comes at a price, such a heavy price you pay." She looked down at her fingers, hooked in front of her. She didn't hear him move as he came to stand directly in front of her, she could see the tips of his boots just past her fingers.

"You know me, in this future?" His voice was like gravel in his throat, rough and forced.

"I know you, yes, you began as my Professor," he cocked a quizzical eyebrow. "Potions." She smiled and he gave a slight nod, his black hair was a curtain around his face as he stared down at her. She fidgeted restelessly for a moment before she managed to continue.  
"Just before I left you'd become my mentor, my friend, my companion, my partner, you kissed me just before I came, told me to be myself."

"I'm a smart man." He rasped, his black eyes boring into amber as she waited for him to be angry, to lash out.  
"Why did I let you go, Hermione?" He urged, one of his hands came up to hook onto her hip.

"Because I had to come, everyone, everyone is dead! Everyone either of us ever held dear, dead at his hands, he discovered you were a spy, he was going to kill you, he pushed the last of the Horcruxes beyond the veil, it was gone, forever. I have to reverse the course, and one of the main links is you." She exhaled, her throat hurt, it was clenching with her fight to keep tears back.

She wasn't even sure why she wanted to cry.

"So Bellatrix is…and that means Lucius…" He was connecting the dots in his head, gods she loved him for being so intelligent.

"She tortured me, he watched when they raped me. It isn't fair Severus, but war isn't fair. We wanted to end it now, not later, when all hope seems to be lost. Minerva, Horace, Pomona, many young students, so many great witches and wizards lost because of his madness." She hadn't realized she'd gravitated toward him more until she felt the firm warmth of his chest beneath her cheek. He cradled her to him, as if sensing she needed his closeness.

She hoped he wasn't angry with her.

"What do we have to do, what must we do to stop it all?"

"I have to stop you." He reared back to stare into her face, his black eyes wide as he watched her.

"Me? What, how?" He all but spluttered, Hermione sighed and buried her face in her chest.

"You didn't know, when you did it, you didn't know it was about her, I can't imagine why you did it in the first place. I suppose the darkness really had pulled you in. You heard a prophecy, about a child born at a certain time. You relayed the information to your Dark Lord."

"He killed the parents, the child?" Gods he was smart. Hermione grasped his robes.

"The boy was Harry Potter." Severus froze, his breathing shallow.

"His parents?"

"Lily and James Potter." She blinked as his wound muscles twitched beneath her. "The Longbottoms were also tortured, as Neville, their son was born under the same circumstances. The prophecy was for a boy who would be his end."

Severus was still breathing so Hermione decided to power on.

"He will kill them to get to Harry, but it won't work, Lily sacrifices herself, her love saves him, reflects the spell back on Voldemort who then flees as less than whole. Harry is made a Horcrux and thus the prophecy begins." He had fallen to his knees, was grasping her around her middle with his face buried in her stomach, her fingers caressed long black locks.

"I would never have…" His voice was muffled when he spoke, unwilling to relinquish his hold on her. "…It's all my fault, all of your suffering."

"No, no, and it won't be, not if we can change the course of time, we're trying to create a ripple, a change in the timeline that forces events out of sync, that leads to a future without Voldemort." She explained, her fingers caught his chin and tipped his head back so he was looking up at her.

Hermione gave him a soft smile, one Severus could only marvel at.

The cause of her suffering, he was the cause of her suffering in the future and still she came back, loved him as she did.

"You didn't say you loved me to manipulate me, did you?" Hermione froze, her fingers dug into his shoulders as her face turned.

"Severus, I loved you then, I love you now, I'll love you always." She stroked the side of his face, her choice made not to be angry with him. Wouldn't she feel the same if he'd just dropped such a bomb on her? She was certain she would.

"Good, we'll fix this future of yours then." He growled, his black eyes boring into her.  
"And if you think for a second you are still meeting with Lucius Malfoy you have lost your mind." His voice was deep, dark, menacing. It sent a pleasant chill up her spine.

"Duly noted, love. Perhaps we can have some hot chocolate now, I'm sure you'll have more questions for me when you've worked everything out."

"I have no doubt I will."

"Please, just as long as you don't hate me." She looked away, Severus was standing when she did so and he towered over her again, his turn to catch her chin and force her face up.

"I will never hate you, Hermione, please just always be truthful with me." She pulled onto her tip toes to peck him gently on the lips, her silvery eyes glittered.

"I promise." Severus smirked, his fingers entwining with hers.

"Then everything shall be fine. We will see if the house elves have those little marshmallows you are always on about." His face had lightened, his eyes smiling at her.

"I can't help it, I love them so much!" She exclaimed through a laugh when he brought her hand up to kiss the back, his lips lingering for a moment.

"Of course love, of course." He smiled, the first she'd seen on his face, and led her from the tower, his hand never once letting her own go.


	17. Chapter 17

"Hermione, love, you are going to have to get up eventually." Severus poked at the witch's side, her eyelids stirred but did not open and she groaned at him.

It was rare they were afforded an opportunity to share a bed and they'd taken advantage of the Holidays to sneak away to the Room of Requirement and share a bed. Severus had been awake for several hours, reading and glancing over at the witch every so often, until he felt he could no longer stand to wait for her.

He swore she slept more than anyone he'd met before her.

"Hermione." He chuckled, slender fingers attacking her side again and with a giggle she rolled, silvery eyes fluttered open and caught him in their gaze.

"Do I have to get up? I'd rather stay in bed all day." She stretched, her back arched and he settled his palm across her stomach, the soft touch shooting chills down her spine.

"I'm afraid so, love, unless you'd prefer I did not give you your gift." He cocked a black eyebrow and Hermione groaned, her fingers joined his on her stomach and wove between them.

"I definitely want my gift." She grinned and used his hand to help pull herself up. Auburn hair was wild atop her head and she groaned as she dug her fingers into the thick mess.

"It would appear our night time activities have made your hair more resistant than usual." He smirked, black eyes twinkled and Hermione groaned, leaned forward and pecked him on the lips. He smiled gently beneath her lips and stood to help her from the bed.

It vanished from behind them as he spun her and hooked long fingers into her hair, slowly and very gently removing the knots from the wild curls. Hermione sighed and tried not to lean back into him, her eyes fluttered closed.

"I love you." She exhaled, his lips tapped the back of her head gently just before he released her much less matted hair.

"And I you, now, presents." Hermione glanced at him over her shoulder to find a wicked smile on his face, her tongue flicked out to wet her lips. He produced a large black box from his robe pocket, twisted it in his fingers delicately before he held it out to her.

Hermione could only tip her head and take the box gently from his hands. It was heavy, incredibly so, and felt solid in her hands.

Her eyes flicked back to his for a second curiously and he only cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, you will not know until you open it." He smirked and Hermione gently flipped back the flaps keeping it closed gently. She pulled another box from it, smaller than the packaging with a sleek black surface, she could see herself reflected back in it and she shot the wizard a curious look. Her fingers danced around the mirror like surface as she tried to sort out what it was.

She drew a blank and looked back to Severus again.

"I'm not really certain what it is."

Severus chuckled and shook his head, black eyes matched the onyx box she held in her hands.

"There are times I forget you were not born to this world, you know so much I simply expect you to know everything." His hand caressed her face gently before he took the box from her fingers and twisted it in his hand.

"Well, show me what it does then." She grumbled impatiently, her arms crossed across her chest. Unlike others who may have gotten annoyed with her he only smirked and held it in his flattened palm.

Hermione stared at her reflection in the glossy surface with wide eyes. Severus brought out his wand and with a single tap the box burst into a rainbow of colors, they cast themselves across the room and soft sounds drifted from the box itself. Hermione felt as if her nerves were immediately soothed and she gave the black haired wizard a curious look.

"I remembered you told me you have nightmares, I cannot always be beside you Hermione. This will help, you simply tap it gently with your wand, while holding it in your hand and think of a positive emotion, it will do the rest. It is meant to be instantly soothing, not only for the colors and sounds but it is charmed to help relax those near it." He tapped it again and the box turned back into the solid black square it had been. He tucked it between her hands before he brushed her hair back from her face.  
"I hope it will help you."

Hermione didn't even have to think, she launched herself at him with a smile so broad it made her face hurt and latched her arms around his chest. He returned the embrace immediately, arms around her back as she buried her face in his chest and inhaled deeply.

"You are so bloody amazing." She exhaled into him, he shook his head and pulled her back to look her in the eyes.

"I fear we have you to thank for that." His lips dipped to hers in a firm kiss. She hadn't even an opportunity to respond as she melted into his lips, into his arms, the box still clutched in her fingers behind his back.

He groaned into the kiss after only a few minutes and backed up, the smirk on his slightly reddened lips delicious. Hermione wanted to latch onto them and not let go again.

"I guess you'll want your gift now?" She grinned, silvery eyes twinkled as she settled her gift into her pocket and crossed the room to her beaded bag. He watched her closely, obviously curious what she had for him.

She knew it was nowhere near as fantastic as his gift to her, she could only hope he would appreciate it.

It was the thought the counts anyway, wasn't it?

"This may seem odd." She pulled the book-shaped parcel from her bag and held it to her chest, a treasured item.

Severus cocked an eyebrow at her, she'd honestly gotten him a book? Such a bookworm his witch was.

"It is very special to me, it helped me through a lot of very difficult times, when we were cold, and hungry, and dirty, and so very incredibly alone." He took the present from trembling fingers and cocked an eyebrow, his lips pursed as he slid a finger beneath the paper and expertly divested it of its wrapping.

Beneath was a book, though it felt incredibly light for a tome of its size. He would be lying if he said he was not surprised when he opened it to find the book hollow. Hermione gave him a cautious smile when he glanced over to her.

Two thick, rings, one silver and one black, sat in the book turned box. They looked like heavy rope, woven around themselves and glinted gently in the light. He cocked an eyebrow and stared up at his witch for a moment, not quite comprehending.

"We used these to stay in contact, you developed them when we became partners. They were easy to conceal and very useful, they are cool, almost chilly to the touch when the other wearer is safe and well. When the other wearer is in danger, mortal or otherwise they heat up. If the other wearer dies the rope breaks and the ring falls away into a normal string of rope. Because you developed them for us, they only work for us." She wet her lips, her eyes flicked to the wall.  
"You developed a pair for other partners as well, each pair had a set, they were a brilliant development. I wasn't meant to bring them. You'd asked me to leave them, and those days behind but I just, well, I couldn't." She gave a weak smile and squeeked when she found herself wrapped in his arms, the book and rings discarded behind him on the sofa.

"It is more amazing to me every time you let me in." He breathed into her hair.

"Okay," Hermione sniffled and gave a half-hearted laugh, "enough seriousness. I'm starving." Severus pulled back with a smirk, snagged his book and hooked the silver ring onto his middle finger, the black fit her own middle finger perfectly and they vanished from sight as soon as they were both on.

"Interesting." He furrowed his brow, black eyes staring at the place where he could feel, but not see the ring.

He was quite fond of the idea of knowing how she was at any given moment, it settled warmth in his chest.

A warmth that didn't fade through their lunch and the rest of their Christmas spent together.


	18. Chapter 18

"You will have to make amends between the two of you if we're going to alter the timeline." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest. She was perfectly aware they had almost definitely already altered the timeline but it certainly didn't hurt to ensure everyone was getting along.

She _needed_ for everyone to be on good terms, she'd already alerted Dumbledore and Minerva of her progress. Three of the Horcruxes had been dealt with. The end of school was still a fair distance away but she would not risk anything happening to make her future a reality.

She fidgeted under Severus' dark gaze, his lips were pursed and she could envision his mind working.

"For you. For us." He grunted, his face one of discomfort, he really held no more feelings for Lily Evans, it was a relief to Hermione, who'd expected he would still have something, somewhere for the witch.

Did that mean he'd never really loved her as he'd believed?  
She hoped so.

"Good, thank you!" She grinned, enveloped him in a hug and pulled back to lay a gentle kiss on his lips. He returned the gesture with much more fervor until she was moaning and trying to get closer to him.

Her stomach flipped inside her every time he kissed her, it never failed.

He bunched her fingers in his robes and when they parted her silvery eyes were locked on his black.

"The things you do to me."

"I haven't the faintest what you are talking about." He growled at her response to which he only earned a wink.  
"I need to go, I have to speak with Lily, and most likely James, Remus, and Sirius as well." She cocked an eyebrow at him when he frowned.

"Pricks."

"Remus is a good guy, I'm certain the others are as well, when you get to know them."

"One word from them, Hermione, one single word." She smoothed her fingers through long black locks and pecked his lips again.

"One word from them and I will hex them myself, alright?" She pressed her nose to the crook of his neck, inhaling the soft scent of herbs and potions. It was addictive.

Severus' breath caught in his throat for a second before he pushed her back by her shoulders and held her at arm's length.

"You should go now, I am afraid you will not have the opportunity if you carry on with such _affections._ " Hermione shivered under his hands but gave a nod and turned to go, a last look over her shoulder.

"I'll owl you when we will meet with them." She called over her shoulder just before the door closed.

Severus massaged the bridge of his nose, alone in the room of requirement.

He hoped he was doing the right thing, based on everything the witch told him about the future he was. He trusted Hermione, she'd not given him cause not to.

He pulled himself from his place leaned against the back of a sofa and crossed to the door.

He'd cut all ties with those he called friend, he just hoped it wouldn't all blow up in his face like a terribly brewed potion.

SSHG

"I don't see why I would go along with this." Hermione massaged her temple, her silver eyes pinched closed as she sat across from Lily Evans. Bloody stubborn witch she was.

"Lily, this needs to happen, it's important. I know you don't understand but you will."

"And how do you know this is necessary?" Lily crossed her arms across her chest and Hermione shook her head. Auburn curls bounced around her face and the cool sensation of them brushing her face helped calm her.

"I'm going to tell you something," Hermione's voice dropped to a whisper, Lily watched her with wide emerald eyes "you cannot tell anyone."

"Of course I won't."

"I'm from the future." Lily burst out laughing, her green eyes glittered her humor. Hermione's face didn't change and eventually the redhead settled down.  
"If you're quite finished."

"I've seen that look on Severus' face." Lily commented, her arms crossed across her chest.  
"You can't possibly expect me to believe you are from the future."

"You and James are married, you have a son, Harry Potter. You are pregnant with another child- a girl, when you are killed by Tom Riddle, more popularly known as Voldemort, who as we speak is on his rise to power. Because of Severus' involvement with his followers you realize that you hardly recognize him anymore. When he called you a mudblood it was because he was being tormented by the man who you eventually call your husband. They are immature now but soon they will join the Order of the Phoenix. You are killed, along with James, Sirius is imprisoned, Remus dies, along with his wife Tonks- who is pregnant when she is killed. Shall I go on?" Lily was staring at her wide eyed. Hermione sighed and wet her lips.

Maybe she'd gone too far? It didn't matter, she needed to do this.

"I am, was, will be…" Hermione winced. "Well, I was one of your son's best friends. He's an amazing Quidditch player, incredibly brave, has the best sense of humor, and wished he'd known you. Instead he is raised by your sister, Petunia, and her husband Vernon. They abuse him, starve him, and force him to live in a cupboard despite the fact they have room available for him. They are cruel to him when they discover he is a wizard. He only finds solace when he meets our third friend Ronald, and the Weasley family, Molly is the first woman to show him motherly love. He begged me to help you live, to stop a time when he was forced to live without you as parents. We all know how fantastic you would have been."

Lily looked on the verge of tears and Hermione stopped, her eyes averted for a moment to let the other witch gather herself.

"A son?"

"A wonderful young man with black hair and emerald eyes."

"We die?"

"Yes, if I fail, you die."

"I'll talk to James." Hermione gave a little nod, her tongue flicked out to wet her lips again.

"I thought you might."

SSHG

Hermione watched disinterested as Severus paced. Remus was sat beside her, twitching his discomfort.

"So I marry someone how many years younger than me?" He asked again for what had to be the twentieth time and Hermione shook her head with a little laugh.

"Quite a lot, and you're just as hung up on it then as you are now."

"Why didn't you tell us all this sooner?"

"I wasn't sure what the implications would be. It seems I've not done any true damage by revealing my goal to Minerva and Albus, the next logical step was Severus, followed by you lot. This goes no further." She locked the brunette in an intense gaze. One he met with equal strength and waited for his little nod.

"I understand secrets." Hermione grasped his hand in hers, not thinking about Severus who gave them a curious look, eyebrow cocked.

"I know you do." She smiled, dropped his hand, and looked to Severus. The second her eyes were on him he knew he had nothing to worry about.

It was obvious they were only for him.

"I still don't see why we should have to do this with Snivellus."

"Shut up, this is serious." James scolded.

"No, I'm Sirius." A smack to the back of said dunderhead's scalp could be heard.

"Ow, Lily, not necessary."

"Shhhh." The redhead hissed just before they rounded the corner to find Hermione, Remus, and Severus all staring at them.

"Well, fancy seeing you here." Sirius rubbed the back of his head, Severus scowled.

"Yes, fancy that." Hermione rolled her eyes and clapped her hands together before she stood. "Now, down to business?"


	19. Chapter 19

"I don't believe it." Sirius grumbled and Hermione shot him a look, her eyes darkening with her irritation.

She'd been arguing with both James and Sirius for the better part of an hour and she was sick and tired of their arguments.

It seemed everytime she managed to tell them what would happen one of them came up with a reason that it couldn't be true. Lily had long since started reading a book, giving up on the two stubborn Gryffindors and Remus looked shocked, and perhaps a bit sleepy.

"Honestly, what isn't there to believe?"

"I don't believe he would switch sides." Sirius shrugged, the look on his face smug. Hermione fought the urge to tear her hair out.

"And why, pray tell, is that?" She groaned, her silvery eyes locked on his lax form, it was amazing to her how casual he could look no matter how things were going.

And in her mind things were going to straight to hades at the moment.

"Because he's bad now, he's bad later." He shrugged and Hermione scratched at her scalp.

"I really didn't want to do this." She groaned, her eyes flicked to the other four bodies that occupied the room, Severus had given up and gone away at some point, not interested in listening to Black's opinion of his character.

Hermione stuck a hand in her beaded bag, digging until the arm was gone up to her shoulder and earning a few strange looks. "Never seen an invisible extension before? Please, I've been doing it since I was eleven." She groaned haughtily and finally pulled out what she was looking for.

A pensieve, portable, given to her by Harry for her seventeenth birthday, not long before she'd left. It was set up with the tap of her wand and she glanced up to see everyone staring at her with cocked eyebrows now.

"Well, Harry was pretty bloody amazing, I'm not going to lie." She smirked a Lily who gave her a smile before she turned back to the pensieve. Drawing memories from one's head was not always a comfortable experience. It was often incredibly uncomfortable, the process of making a copy of the memory and then extracting it to place in the pensieve for others to view. Still, it was the easiest way to show them what happens with Severus, the things he does after he switches sides.

The man that he becomes after a few years on the right side of the battle.

She chose one she knew had been particularly difficult for them both. They'd been trying to save Luna Lovegood, she'd been taken by Death Eaters and was no doubt being tortured in Malfoy Manor. It was an easy memory to locate, particularly painful and she winced as she pulled the wispy memory from her mind and thrust it into the pensieve.

"Head in." She blinked up at Sirius who gave her a startled look. Hermione could only smirk and cross her arms across her chest.

"How do I know you won't try to drown me?"

"I'd have killed you seven times over at least by now if I wanted you dead." She wasn't sure if it was the flat tone of her voice or the serious look on her face but Remus gasped and Sirius looked nervous all of a sudden. James glanced to Lily, looking like he wanted to pull her away.

"Right then." Sirius thrust his head into the pensieve his fingers clutched the sides and she knew well the memory he was watching.

As if a viewer on the outside he was seeing as they infiltrated Malfoy Manor, this was after Severus had been discovered as a spy and was number one on Voldemort's hit list. They'd entered the dungeon area, following the screams of her friend only to be ambushed in the last minute.

It was sad to think about, this had been the moment that had solidified her love for the dark wizard of the future. He'd thrown himself on top of her, his entire body a shield for the hexes that had raged around them. Hermione winced at the memory, the way the blood had trickled from his hair and onto her face. The way he'd grasped her, his face twisted in the most beautiful example of pain she'd ever seen.

"Hold on." He'd rasped just before he'd snatched her into his arms and, without use of a broom flown them from the room and likewise the Manor. As soon as they were on the smooth white gravel he'd taken her arm and apparated them away.

Luna had appeared on their doorstep only days later. Dead.

Sirius ripped his face from the pensieve, his breaths ragged as he gasped for air.

"Merlin." He trailed, eyes wide as he stared at Hermione across from him. She didn't look pleased. She looked sad.

And Sirius felt incredibly humbled.

"What did you see?" James looked a bit sick staring at his friend.

"You'll have to watch for yourself." Sirius rasped and Hermione knew as soon as James had finished she would have them all on board.

And she was right.

She was even more right when a shocked Severus received apologies from the boys who'd bullied him their entire school career and she smiled when the group left them alone in the room of Requirement.

"What have I done to deserve you?" Severus breathed, his lips on her forehead as they stood in the center of the room. Hermione flicked silver eyes around the room, filled to the brim with books and a soft fire in the center.

"I'd show you what I showed them but I haven't the energy to extract the memory again." She leaned her weight against him, her bones like pudding and she grinned when he scooped her into his arms.

"It will never make me believe I've done enough." He smirked as his lips came down to meet hers in a soft kiss. Her hand cupped his cheek gently, her eyes staring into his as they stayed like that for a few blessed minutes.

Hermione could feel it, something was coming, and she wanted to enjoy the moments like this for as long as she possibly could.

"I do believe I know how to help you relax." He gave her another dark smirk as a bed appeared in the room behind them. She squealed her pleasure when he tossed her onto the soft mattress and jumped to hover over her, his body lean above hers.

"I love it when you help me relax." She exhaled, her voice almost a moan as his lips met hers in fierce kiss. Passion.

Severus Snape was passion, and desire, and everything Hermione could have ever wanted.


	20. Chapter 20

"You'd be just as well to tell me what is wrong, Hermione." Remus and Hermione sat out by the lake, it was a cold day but they'd come prepared with extra heavy cloaks and warming charms. They'd cleared the snow from the place they wanted to sit and leaned with their backs against one another as they read.

Hermione might have thought it an odd position to be in weeks before but now, now she couldn't imagine spending time with the werewolf any other way. It was an oddly comfortable position and it was terribly relaxing for her. Remus, quite literally, had her back.

She almost snorted a laugh at that and took a deep breath, her back contracting against his as she folded her book into her lap.

"You have to swear not to tell Severus, or Lily, or James, or…"

"Sirius." He cut her off and she shook her head with a little chuckle. It was amazing how the group had fallen into a sort of friendship after she'd managed to make them all see the light.

It made her smile.

It made her heart smile.

"I'm going to die, Remus." She finally admitted, her eyes focused on the ground, she could feel his muscles flail, his back going rod straight as she spoke.

"You- what?!" He spun, and in turn spun her around so fast she could barely get her bearings.

Hermione swallowed around the lump in her throat as she stared into his face. She'd been avoiding the truth of the matter, the topic at hand.

"You- well you just can't! I don't even know why you would-! And how do you mean!?" Remus was having a hard time getting the words out in a cohesive sentence and Hermione smiled at him, it wasn't a happy smile, in fact, it was incredibly sad.

"I knew when I came, Remus." She held his hand in hers. Her friend. He'd become such a good friend to her in all her time in the past.  
"It's part of the deal with the seed of Kronos and traveling back in time. The seed never left my body, when I'm born- that is to say the me that is meant to exist in this timeline- when I'm born the seed will kill me." She made a slashing motion across her throat but Remus did not smile, smirk, nor even crack a semblance of a laugh like she'd hoped.

"So, you have an expiration date?"

"That just so happens to be my birthday, yes."

"When is your birthday then?" Remus looked a bit pale, and that was saying something, considering who she was talking to.

"The nineteenth of September," Hermione winced, "nineteen seventy nine."

"Little more than a year? Oh Hermione." Remus wrapped her in his arms, his hug warm and friendly, familiar. She smiled into his shoulder.

"Don't be too upset, I'm going to need you all to hold Severus together when I'm gone. Don't let him fall into what he was, please? I'll get on my knees and beg if I must." She winced at the mere thought and Remus smoothed the hair back from her face. Her silvery eyes were sparkling with tears and he hated it. Hated that his friend had to suffer knowing what would happen before it did.

"I don't know how we'll do that, you're his world now." Hermione gave a little nod, her face turned to the lake.

"I know, that's why I needed you all to make amends, keep him safe for me Remus? He trusts you more than the others and he and Lily have fallen back into their friendship but I know it will take years for all of the animosity to fade. You're not like them and he knows it, I've made sure he knows it."

The brunette gave a little nod, his own eyes glistening with tears.

"When are you going to tell him?"

"The eighteenth of September." She smirked up at him and he groaned, his eyes rolled his annoyance.

"Of course, you mad witch, I'd think he'd like to have more warning than that." Hermione shook her head, her face contorted for a moment.

"If I tell him he may draw away from me, he may decide it's not worth the pain of staying with me. He can't know, not yet. I have a year left with him, I want to enjoy it while I can. I've loved him for so long." She sighed, her lips pursed as she stared out over the lake again.

"Well, you've chosen the right person to keep your secret, then."

"I know." Her smile was faint this time as she looked over at him. He tugged her into another hug, soft and comfortable as they stared out across the lake.

She was glad Severus had locked himself away in his lab, he would certainly be jealous over the gesture, even if she was only Remus' friend.

And she was, she never wanted to think about the fact that if it hadn't been Severus she may have very well fallen for Remus.


	21. Chapter 21

Hermione and Severus were gathering herbs when the downpour began, the rain was heavy and almost deafeningly loud around them as they stood staring at one another in shock.

Hermione was the first to react, with a laugh as she looked up at the sky that had seemingly decided to open up on them out of nowhere. Severus was drenched, yet somehow he didn't care, he was captivated by the witch who stood, arms out and face back staring at the sky.

March had settled upon them quickly and soon- sooner than he would like to think they would be finishing school and moving on. Hermione had told him, about her plans to join Dumbledore's Order, he'd agreed, incredibly willingly and they'd managed to have a few meetings with the elder wizard and McGonagall.

He shook the thoughts away, eyes focusing back on the lovely witch in front of him, she was watching him with wide eyes, her smile radiant before she broke into giggles.

"You look incredibly unhappy." She laughed, her eyebrows raised and he shivered, the chill still hadn't quite left the air and this was not exactly a warm shower.

Still he managed to smirk and take three quick strides to the witch, wrapping her in his arms and holding her to him.

"I can't imagine what you are talking about, my Hermione, I find that I quite like the view." He smirked down at her and she glanced down, her robes were drenched and clinging to her and she couldn't fight the blush that forced its way to her cheeks.

"Well, I can't say I have any complaints myself." She hooked her fingers into his dripping hair and pulled him down to her, their lips meeting with a force she never would have expected, the water making their faces slip as their tongues met.

Severus groaned into her mouth, his arms wrapped tight around her and holding her by her lower back as the rain continued to pour around them. Hermione shivered, though for reasons completely unrelated to the rain and her fingers grasped onto his hair, holding on to his head for dear life.

When the pair finally broke apart, panting for breath Severus wiped a mass of drops of water from her cheek and cupped her face with his hands, his black eyes intent on her.

"We should go back into the castle, Hermione." He finally exhaled, looking like he wanted to do anything but.

"I don't see why." She smirked and caught his mouth with hers again, stood on her tiptoes and holding on to him for dear life as he succumbed to another intense kiss from the witch. He couldn't deny, she was most definitely insatiable at times, holding on to him as if they only had a few days more when he planned to give her the rest of his life.

SSHG

The rain that had caught the couple off guard had continued to pelt the windows the entire night and into the next day. It was a Saturday, and as such they were in the library, Hermione curled in a transfigured chair as she read, Severus sat comfortably on the floor in front of her, his back leaned against the front of her chair as he too skimmed a thicker than necessary tome.

The rain pelted the stained glass of the windows, creating a soothing sound that made the harmony Hermione was feeling seem particularly strong.

Her fingers carded through Severus' hair delicately as she read, her book balanced easily in one hand as her eyes devoured the pages in front of her. Severus sighed and leaned his head back to look up at her, if she noticed she gave no indication.

He'd noticed something as of late though, Hermione had become increasingly distant, increasingly somber and he needed to know why. Wasn't a rainy day when she was trapped with him the perfect time to question her?

"I'm going to ask you a question, I want an honest answer." His dark eyes were burning into her and she twitched her discomfort.

Her stomach clenched, her chest tightened. He'd noticed, just like Remus. Gods why did she have to surround herself with such observant people?

"Okay?" She was certain her voice cracked, or was it a croak? She didn't like it either way.

Severus turned to face her, settling his book beside him and plucking hers gently from her hands and placing it down as well as he did so. On his knees he put his hands on the armrests of her chair, effectively boxing her in as he stared her in the face.

Hermione could only squirm and watch as he gave her the most serious look he'd given her in this time period. Her stomach was in knots, the rain outside no longer a comforting drum but a war hammer, pounding in her skull and making her feel sick.

The blood rushed in her ears as she stared at him, the silence building her anxiety to an even higher peak.

"What is wrong with you?" Hermione winced, her eyes pinched closed, still she could feel those eyes boring into her.

It was a simple question, one she could come up with so many answers too. She could dance around the question, make something up.

She could _lie._

Of course, with that train of thought she was kidding herself, she wouldn't lie to him. Couldn't fathom trying to, he would know in an instant.

And he trusted her, she couldn't betray that trust.

She kept her eyes closed, seeing a scene playing out in her head she hoped would never come to pass.

She would tell him, he would stand and glare at her, walk away.

He would leave her miserable in that chair, alone in the middle of the suddenly cold library. That would be it, he would return to Voldemort, he would rejoin his wicked Slytherin friends, including Lucius, and the future would be doomed to repeat itself.

All because she was anxious about blinking out of existence. All because she was afraid of leaving him in a year and her own being having never existed.

It was a disturbing thought that had kept her up many nights. The way it made her feel to think about this her, the her she was now simply disappearing because the new her, the improved, undamaged her had been born.

And would there be a chance she'd remember? Remember Severus and her time in the past? Her own future that would be gone? Would her consciousness fuse with that of the self that had not yet been conceived or would she simply cease to be.

"Hermione, tell me." His hand, softly callused and gentle was on her cheek, warm and not nearly as commanding as his tone of voice.

She shuddered a breath and silvery eyes flicked open, her stomach roiling.

"You're right, I do have something I need to tell you." He gave a nod, Hermione was building herself up inside, trying to make her mouth open. It did and a squeak fell out. She closed it, heaved a breath and conjured all of her strength.

This was it, he was going to walk away from her, she was going to ruin everything.

The rain continued to beat its war drum against the window, her heart trying to match its unnatural rhythm in her chest as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm going to die." Time seemed to stand still in that instant, his breath caught in his chest, his eyes fixed on hers and she sat, frozen, afraid to move. She couldn't even hear the beat of the rain's war drum anymore.


	22. Chapter 22

"I'm sorry, I don't believe I heard you correctly. Repeat that." Severus had a flat look on his face that made her stomach flip inside her.

She hated that she had to do this, she supposed it was better than waiting until the last minute and springing it on him after all. If he left, left her and the light behind maybe she'd changed enough by telling Lily, James, and Remus the future to fix some things. If he stayed maybe he would value their time together as much as she would.

She cleared her throat and with a sad little smile spoke again. "I'm going to die."

Hermione didn't miss the way his breath caught in his throat again. She also didn't miss the glint in his eyes as he stared at her, his hands shook and he grasped the armrests tighter to stop them.

"I feel that I may not be understanding you, witch, let us try again, from the beginning." He groaned, his voice was deep and laced with a hurt that she didn't even want to think about.

"The seed of Kronos is a very powerful magical object, there is only one in existence at any given time. Now there would be one because I have come back to the past but after I used it in my time it was gone, there is only one chance to use it, and use it correctly." She began, Severus watched her with sharp, dark eyes, taking in everything she had to say. Hermione stroked his smooth cheek delicately, a soft look on her own face. She didn't want to tell him, she never wanted to hurt him.  
"When I ingested the seed to come back into the past I made a sort of contract with the Cosmos. There cannot be two of me for the rest of eternity, this is not the same as using a time turner and returning, I cannot return to my time. Instead I made my deal with the Cosmos, when the Hermione Granger of this time is born, I will cease to be, it was the only way."

Hermione was staring down at her hands in her lap now, her eyes averted from his and she could see his chest rise and fall in her periphery but nothing else.

Severus cleared his throat, clenched his jaw, and moved his hands to grasp hers in his.

"It would have to be something like that, wouldn't it?" His voice was low, hoarse and incredibly resigned. She knew it, he would know as well as she did they had no choice.

Now she could only wait for him to decide what he would do.

He cleared his throat again, as if there was something uncomfortably caught inside.

"Well, we will just have to make the best of our time together and ensure we finish what you started." He caught her eyes in his, her own were watering, soft tears broke the edge and trickled down her cheeks. These were not her upset tears, no, this was something else. There was a strange glow about her he'd not seen before.  
"Do you think you will remember me? In some way?" He sounded hopeful, Hermione grasped his face in her hands, a steady flow of tears still trickling down her cheeks.

Thunder crashed in the background and the rain continued to pelt the windows but it was no longer ominous. Instead, Hermione felt the skies were crying the same relief as she.

He was going to accept it, understand, and move on with her.

It was amazing the ways in which he'd changed just having someone near who accepted him, who loved him.

Hermione couldn't help but wonder how many others had gone down the wrong path just because they had no one to love, to love them.

"I don't think I could ever forget you!" She cried and pulled his face to hers, kissing first his lips before she lay little kisses across his cheeks and forehead, his nose and even eyelids as he leaned forward to her.

"I don't think I could bear it, if you didn't know me at all." He admitted when she finally released his face and he pulled himself to his feet. He was looking down at her now, so much taller when she was sitting as she was.

"You may have to, if you see the me born in the now, you may have to be near a me that does not remember you, does not know this love." She shook her head, her eyes averted.

As much as she wanted to scream she could never forget him she wasn't sure, she didn't know what would happen to her consciousness, this one that she was now.

Would it disappear completely? Would she remember him at all? Would she simply be gone forever, like a light being turned off?

She hoped not.

"I will remind you." He said with a tone of finality she rarely heard from him. She smiled and stood to hook her arms around his chest.

"It shouldn't be hard, I've loved you for so long, I can't imagine never loving you, but the age difference Severus. We are the same age now but then, then will you have changed your mind? Moved on? Decided I am too young?" She looked concerned, and curious.

She knew he'd avoided her like the plague in the future because of their age difference, had only gotten over it when he knew he'd never see her again. Did that mean he would be the same in so many years?

"Would you fault me for it? For loving you regardless?"

"Why would I care about such a stupid number? Age in this world is so different, we live so long, we aren't like the muggles, you could see a life longer than mine with your power."

"I wouldn't."

"Stubborn wizard."

"You mean we need pickled lizard?" He cocked a black eyebrow at her. Hermione stifled her laugh for a second before it burst from her chest with a force she hadn't expected.

Severus smirked at her laughter and she shook her head, her mouth covered with a hand.

"I can't believe you! I knew you heard me!"

"Ah yes, but your reply was so smooth, how could I possibly call out such a clever witch?"

"You're mocking me." She shook her head, her lips pursing into a strange crooked smile.

"Of course my love, would you expect any less?" His own mouth quirked and she grinned up at him.

"Not from my perfect wizard. Thank you, for understanding Severus." She spoke honestly, her hand positioned in the center of his chest. She could feel the soft beat of his heart beneath her fingers, it warmed her from the inside out.

"I've little choice, do I not? You have completely enraptured me, I fear I am ruined for any other." He breathed, his lips dipped beside her ear and he kissed her gently just beneath, near her jaw. He nipped at the skin of her jaw and pulled a faint gasp from her before he pulled back with a smirk.

"I love you, wicked man." He caught her lips in a tense kiss. He didn't need to say it, he showed it in a new way every time she turned around.


	23. Chapter 23

Hermione was awed by Severus, it seemed every time she turned around he was doing something new to take her breath away.

This time it was nothing, he was sat under a tree, reading a book and looking for all the world as peaceful as a man could be. The soft spring breeze caught his hair and blew it around his face but he ignored it as he read, his eyes intent on the words and his fingers gripped the page.

She watched a bit longer, trying to take in every detail. He was beautiful, from the soft hair on his head to his smooth, pale skin.

She wanted so badly to remember him. So badly to know him, even if this her ceased to be, the one she would be giving way to deserved to know him as well.

She deserved to know him as well as this Hermione did, to know the love he could give her, the intellectual stimulation he provided. To know the warmth of his arms and the soft beat of his heart. The deep tenor of his voice and warm, callused hands that took such care in everything he did.

He was a masterpiece and she wanted herself to know it. How though?

She was a smart witch, she knew she could come up with something, she looked around her, the breeze caught her hair and blew it irritatingly into her face as she turned on her heel and walked away from him, before she could catch his eye. It seemed he had Hermione radar, as whenever she got too close he would look up and spot her staring.

It made it very difficult for her to gape at him creepily as she wanted to.

She made her way, rather quickly into the Gryffindor common room and found exactly who she was looking for, James, Remus, and Peter sat in the floor playing a game of exploding snap, Lily was reading a book with her legs on Sirius on a sofa near them. Sirius appeared to be deep in thought whilst swishing his wand. She almost laughed at the sight, so beautifully simple.

"Hey Remus!" She called as she came up behind them, he glanced ot her and then back at James who gave a nod. Their silent conversations may have unnerved her, if she hadn't had them with Harry and Ron all the time in her own future.

"What's going on, Mi?" He stood while Peter and James continued their game, she supposed he forfeited by leaving it and she felt bad for a micro-second.

"I need a favor, come with me." She took his hand and drug him from the portrait hole. Soon they were in his room of Requirement with the door shut tightly behind them and she was holding a little vial in her hands.

"I need you to do me a majorly large favor." She cocked an eyebrow at the werewolf who gave her an expectant look.

"Well, out with it then, I'm already doing several for you, why I'd stop now I can't fathom." He smirked when she smacked his arm gently and handed the vial to him, he took it with delicate care and she knew she'd made the right choice.

"I don't know if I'll remember Severus after this happens, when I'm gone and I grow up again. I want to, I want her to know him, to know how important he is. I'm going to extract some memories, I'm going to give them to you."

He gave a nod to show he was following her.

"I assume you want me to give them to her when she comes of age?"

Hermione grinned.

"You are definitely the man for the job." She gave him a serious look.  
"Please make sure I get them, if I haven't figured it out, which I can't see happening, help me view them, promise me?"

"What if I am nowhere near you?"

"You should teach DADA, you'd make a great teacher."

"Sly witch, you already have Severus planning to teach Potions so you can be sure you're close to him, now you want me teaching too?"

"If I could talk Lily into Muggle studies I'd have you all here." She smirked and brushed the hair from her face.  
"Will you, please? Even if you just show up for our graduation and give them to me."

"I promise Mi, I was only giving you hell anyways." She grinned broader at this and produced her wand.

"Okay then, hold on to that vial and I will put some memories in it." She put her wand to her temple and closed her eyes in concentration.

She wanted to put all of her most treasured memories there, she wanted herself to know how wonderful he really could be.

SSHG

"Merlin you are so beautiful, my wonderful witch." Severus stood behind her, her skin rippled her surprise as his hands came up to grasp her hips and he pulled her back flush with him.

She'd been standing outside, staring over the lake and thinking about her time in the past.

Graduation was upon them, in just a few days they would leave Hogwarts, together, and she would live with Severus while they worked with the order.

Until the day of her birth, and then it would be up to the rest of them to make sure the future was as bright as it could be. She knew there would be ups and downs for everyone, still she hoped that it would be better.

She never wanted them to see all of the death she had, all of the pain at the hands of a maniac.

She leaned her head back against his chest, her own hands coming up to cover his on her hips.

"I'm nowhere near as beautiful as you, Severus." She smiled when he scoffed low in his throat.

"I'm aware of my appearance, Hermione, you don't need to lie to me." He exhaled somewhere above her head and she grasped his fingers tighter.

"No, I mean it, you aren't handsome in the traditional sense but, you are beautiful. You are wonderful, and smart, and your eyes are the most gorgeous I've ever seen." She wet her lips and spun in his arms, a smile on her face.

"When you see me again don't be surprised, this is not my hair, or my eye color. I was born with brown hair and brown eyes. We thought we should change it so no one would ever say- 'hey, are you related to Hermione McGonagall' and completely disrupt my future self's life."

"I don't care about those things. I love who you are Hermione, and I can't imagine you being anything but this kind, slightly bossy, beautiful, outspoken witch that you are." He smirked with her pout.

"I'm not bossy, take that back." She poked at his chest and he gave a little laugh, a deep, dark sound that made her skin flush warm.  
"I love it when you laugh."

He hugged her tightly to him, his chin settled on the top of her head. She could hear his heartbeat under her ear and smiled.

These were the memories she'd be leaving for herself.

"I know things are about to become dangerous, and hectic." He exhaled, his fingers grasping to her, almost painfully tight and she gave a little nod.

"We'll survive it together though, after graduation we will take him down."

"I wish Dumbledore would let us help now."

"He's right, everyone here still needs to mature all they can, and Voldemort, he's not someone to be taken lightly. It's going to take all of us, and careful planning to end him."

"And his followers."

"I'm sorry about your friends." She pulled back to stroke his cheek, she feels a chill when his dark eyes are on her again.

"If they would wipe people like you from existence, they are no friends I desire to have." He grunted, pulled her into a soft kiss. She melted into his arms, her body a riot at his touch, as it always was.

"I'm so glad you didn't talk me out of coming back." She smiled when he finally released her to breathe and he smirked at her.

"I was an idiot for letting you go, but how glad I am it was done."

Hermione shook her head with a laugh. "Well, we agree on that."


	24. Chapter 24

Quiet, the entirety of the great hall was completely silent.

It was odd, being in the massive room with enchanted ceilings completely alone. Severus and Albus had left to talk about his hopes to teach at Hogwarts in the future. Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus were in McGonagall's office, talking about Order business, she knew she should be with them.

She'd just felt an unusual urge to be alone, a need for the peace that silence brought, the empty hall, void of students as the year had ended seemed the perfect place.

She walked, the length of the room was incredible and gave her quite a lot of space to walk and think.

She'd done everything she could to prepare them, hadn't she?

Told them how to destroy the Horcruxes, how to kill Nagini, she really felt as though she'd done her job.

Now she just hovered in limbo, waiting to fade, to cease to exist.

It wasn't a comforting position to be in, of that much she could attest. It was nerve wracking, knowing the exact day, to the hour, when she would cease to be.

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself as she walked, rubbing her arms to warm the chill she'd let in.

They would all be fine, Lily, Severus, James, Remus, they would all survive, Albus would end Voldemort himself, freeing Harry to live a normal life, with his family, and a sister, and all the love he could ever imagine.

Ron would have his siblings back, everyone would be happy, and settled.

Would the purebloods still hate Muggleborns so much? Would Lucius raise Draco to vehemently detest her kind without Voldemort there to help solidify those thoughts, to give them someone to follow into hatred?

She hoped not, she hoped everyone would be happier for it, even the bloody Malfoys.

She was very aware there was still danger in the fight, that someone may die, she could only hope they didn't, that everyone survived the darkness of war.

Hermione jumped when hands caught her by the shoulders and stopped her walking. She knew it wasn't Severus, he would have caught her by her hips and so she turned to see Remus staring down at her, a boyish smile on his face.

"You are a worrier, you know that?" He grinned as she turned, his hands fell away as she stared up at him.

"How did you know I was worrying?" She cocked an eyebrow, face blank until he shrugged.

"You're easy to read when you think no one is watching, you walk a lot, mumble to yourself, and you get a wrinkle right. Here." He poked her right between her eyebrows and she pursed her lips at him.

"I do not. I don't have a wrinkle." She wrinkled her nose and he shook his head with a small laugh.

"Of course you don't." He agreed with a coy smile and she stuck her tongue out briefly. "Minerva sends her regards, she will be here, keeping watch over the school while we storm Riddle's base." He had his hands hooked into his pockets and she gave a little nod.

"Have they found the sword of Gryffindor yet?"

"The Weasleys, Molly and Arthur located it, James and Lily are joining them now to try and retrieve it." Hermione wrinkled her nose again.

"Good luck to them, a pain that sword was, at least for Harry."

"That's why they're hoping James and Lily can help, since Harry is kind of half of each." Hermione snorted.

"He's exactly like them."

"Lily is excited, you've given her and James so much hope for the future. It was looking bleak when you came, we all knew war was upon us, we just didn't want to consider how badly it could go."

"You should thank Severus, he made the right choice." She crossed her arms across her chest and Remus gave a little nod.

"I will, I'll continue to thank him, and be his friend until the day you're old enough to deal with him again, and then he's your problem." He winked and Hermione barked a little laugh, her eyes twinkled.

"I have no doubt he's in good hands."

"Are you two talking about me?" A dark drawl came from behind her and familiar hands grasped her hips, pulling her back into a firm length of body.

Hermione sighed and relaxed back into Severus, a content smile on her lips. Remus cocked an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Of course, love, who else would I talk about?"

"I should hope no one else. Remus," He fixed black eyes on the werewolf, "Dumbledore has a proposition for you." Hermione smirked.

"Told you, you will make an excellent professor."

"Silence, evil witch." Hermione laughed and shook her head, spinning in Severus' arms and laying her head against his chest. She could hear Remus exit the room in search of the illustrious headmaster and smiled softly to herself.

Severus swayed her softly, his arms wrapped around her back.

"The silence is so much better with you in it." Hermione kissed the underside of his chin. Severus merely smirked into her hair as he swayed her.

SSHG

"Well then, how'd it go mate?" Remus questioned as soon as Lily and James stepped through the door of their shared home. It was a small house, located in the middle of nowhere and intended to keep them safe while they were working for the order.

Hermione and Severus on a sofa, the former nearly asleep as the latter stroked the hair back from her face. Her eyes cracked open when she saw them and gave a little smile.

They looked absolutely exhausted.

"You look like you could use some shut eye." Hermione commented before she closed her own eyes again, reveling in the feeling of Severus' fingers in her hair.

"You have no idea, the lady of the lake, honestly, how ridiculous." Lily exhaled as she fell beside James on another sofa in the room. Remus was sat in the floor by the fire, looking for all the world as amused as anyone could be.

"Lady of the lake eh? Thought that was just a muggle fairytale." Remus smirked and James gave a little grunt.

"Wish it were mate, wish it were. She's a right bitch with a thousand questions." Hermione snorted a laugh.

"I've never heard a more accurate description in my life." Severus smirked and shook his head.

"You have it now though, correct?" His dark voice drifted over her head, she enjoyed the way it rumbled in his chest below her head.

"Yeah, we wouldn't have left without it, hope it was worth it though." James commented offhandedly, Hermione cracked a single eye open this time.

"It's incredibly worth it. Where is Sirius?" Lily rubbed an eye and James stroked the hair back from her face lovingly. Hermione fought the urge to aww at them.

"They needed his animagus form for a task, he said he'll be in late." James shrugged as he sunk further into the sofa, the warm fire crackled in the silence for a moment before Lily spoke.

"Do you really think it was a good idea to leave Peter completely out of the loop? He is our friend after all."

"He's afraid of Riddle, if you tell him he will ultimately betray you." Hermione didn't open her eyes this time, happy to be settled in a room full of friends with her eyes closed.

"If you're sure." James spoke again.

"Absolutely."

"She's not managed to steer us wrong yet." Remus added, his own eyes closed as he lay back on the floor. They were all exhausted, and it would only get worse the closer they grew to the battle against Voldemort.

"She would never do so intentionally." Severus kissed the top of her head and watched as her chest rose and fell delicately, asleep.

He didn't bother to move her, instead all five ended up asleep in the sitting room of the small safe house.


	25. Chapter 25

Hermione and Severus stared, panting, at the large snake at their feet, decapitated.

Sirius held the sword of Gryffindor tightly in his hands, his own chest heaved while James held Lily to him and Remus turned to look anywhere but at the oversized corpse.

Hermione grasped Severus' arm, the exhaustion of their day giving way to elation at having taken care of yet another piece of the puzzle.

"He managed to get away." James groaned, eyes narrowed on the corpse and Hermione gave a nod.

"We'll get him." Sirius tossed the sword to the ground beside the snake, the clang of metal almost deafening in the otherwise silent room. The Order had stormed Voldemort's hideout, catching them all off guard and successfully putting an end to the cursed snake.

Severus kissed the top of her head and she glanced around. Everyone was injured in some way or another, the fighting had been intense.

Still, they'd managed to round up at least ninety percent of the dark wizard's following, end the final horcrux.

Dumbledore was meant to be confronting Riddle any moment, they would find out soon how the confrontation had gone.

SSHG

James held the letter from Dumbledore, looking for all the world as if he wanted, yet didn't want, to open it. Hermione shook her head with a little smile and glanced around.

Lily was chewing her nails, looking like she may be sick if he didn't open the correspondence soon. Remus was flicking little balls of parchment at Sirius who twitched in his sleep every time one smacked him in the face. Severus was pacing, black cloak swaying behind him and reminding her dangerously of the Severus from her own time.

Hermione just watched, her lips pursed. She'd found companionship in these people, friendship that she never would have expected and, she glanced at Severus, a love she never would have anticipated.

Even if Riddle hadn't been disposed of, even if he was still alive right now she knew they would conquer him. Overcome the odds.

It was in their nature after all, each and every one of them was a survivor, no matter what timeline they lived out. She knew it to be true in the very pit of her stomach.

"Just open the damned thing before you give everyone in here fits, James." She cocked an eyebrow, the dark haired wizard cocked an eyebrow at her and inhaled.

"Are you sure, this could prolong the war by years." He groaned, his eyes flashing at the parchment.

"Whether you read it or not the end is the same." Hermione grumbled, crossed her arms across her chest. James heaved a sigh.

"Fine, wake up Sirius." He glanced to Remus who shrugged with a snicker.

"I've been trying for the last hour." He thumped another piece of parchment at him, this one landed in the sleeping wizards mouth.

He choked and spluttered awake, spitting parchment out and glaring around the room.

"Nice one." Hermione laughed and threw a smile Remus' way, he smirked and it was obvious he was fighting laughter.

"Good morning, star shine."

"Bugger off." Sirius growled before he caught sight of James, parchment in hand. "It's here?"

"Has been for the last hour, lazy git." Severus grumbled and Hermione tipped her head back on the sofa to stare at him, he'd begun to pace behind her.

"Come sit with me, Sev?" She crooked a finger at him and with a grunt he joined her, a petulantly annoyed look on his face. She fought her laughter as she leaned against him and watched James finger the edge of the parchment.

"Open it already!" Remus crowed, Lily started and stared at him, green eyes wide.

"Do it…" Came her soft voice and James let his shoulders slump, his finger breaking the seal and allowing the parchment to unroll.

He read, his eyes skimming the page several times as his mouth twisted while he was reading. He frowned, and then smiled, and then frowned, and then finally settled on a neutral expression.

Hermione thought he'd keep them waiting forever.

"Well, what's it say then? We free or we off to fight the big baddy some more?" Sirius grunted, it was obvious he was trying to look nonchalant and failing.

Failing badly.

"We're free." James exhaled, his eyes flicking around the room, joy written on his face.  
"He's dead."

Sirius whooped, Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and Severus hugged her to him tightly. Lily let out a joyed sob and James quickly pulled her into his chest whilst Remus looked on dumbfounded.

"You did it, my Hermione, you changed the future." Severus breathed into her hair and she sighed, her lips finding his neck.

"We did it, oh it's really over?" Her eyes flicked to James who was holding Lily to him tightly while she sobbed.

The release of tension in the room was profound, it was as if a weight had been pulled off of them and thrust to the wayside.

"It's over, the pushed his remains beyond the veil." James confirmed, his hand still clutching the letter.

"We'll get to see our baby grow up." Lily cooed, relief etched into her every feature.

Severus kissed the side of her head, his black eyes catching Lily's gaze. The two shared an intense look, everything they were feeling passing between them.

"Let's go to bed, Sev." Hermione kissed the underside of his jaw and intense black eyes locked onto the witch curled into his side.

Sirius made an oo'ing noise and was immediately smacked in the back of the head by Remus who gave them a knowing smirk.

"A wonderful idea."


	26. Chapter 26

Severus stared down at her, her limp hand held between his as he gazed upon her face. He wanted her eyes to open again, so badly he could hardly stand it.

He turned back to cast a glance over his shoulder, standing from her bedside.

"Say goodbye, you haven't long, she will be gone soon." He managed to keep his voice even as he stepped back and allowed their friends the space to say goodbye to her.

She was gone, and yet still she was there, she was in the muggle hospital, just born, being held by her mother and father. Unknowing, they did not know the treasure they held in their arms.

He knew the body would vanish soon, it had already begun a sort of fading, less corporeal by the moment. Soon she would be gone, completely, entirely gone as if she'd never existed.

He covered his face and turned his back to the scene, eyes closed, forcing back his agony. He wouldn't see her smile, hear her honey voice, listen to her ridiculous laugh- not again, not for years.

It made a lump settle in his throat as he lay his head against the wall, an attempt to collect himself.

 _'_ _Wait for me, I love you._ ' _She'd whispered, and then as if taken by a breeze she was gone. It was the first time he'd cried since Lily had decided he was unworthy. It was the first time he'd cried since she'd come to him._

"Severus." A soft voice, a hand on his shoulder, he fought the urge to tense.

He didn't want to be touched, not by anyone but her. Never again. He set his face and turned to her, his friend. Her green eyes were soft as she stared up at him, even James, who he'd finally begun to see as a friend looked to feel remorse for his loss.

Remus leaned over the fading body, silent tears trailed his cheeks and his back shook with a low laugh. He was reacting in the same way Hermione had predicted, he would have to put a sickle back for her when she grew.

He smirked at the thought.

"She isn't gone, just taking a bit of a vacation." He inhaled, trying to gather himself. Sirius gave him a look, eyebrow raised and a little nod.

"Now I owe her a bloody bet. She said you would be stoic, damn her." Sirius grunted and pulled a knut from his pocket with a frown. "Bloody brilliant that witch was."

"She will be." Lily smiled the body faded into nothing and Severus exhaled, it was a finality he'd not been ready for. Remus stood and gave them all a look.

"Peter will be fit to be tied we didn't invite him."

"Bloody rat." James hissed and Sirius clapped him harshly on the back.

"He didn't do it, after all James, she stopped him." He cocked an eyebrow.

"Once a coward." Severus grunted and stared where Hermione had been, he was still having trouble wrapping his head around the idea he would be going to bed alone that night.

"You'll stay over at ours, won't you Sev? We really don't mind until the term starts." Lily was looking at him now, compassion the only sense he could get from her gaze.

He hadn't planned to return to the flat he'd shared with Hermione at any rate, it wouldn't hurt to stay with them, until term.

"Yeah, Remus will be staying round ours as well until term as well." James agreed, eyes sparkling, a smile on his face.

When he wasn't being a great prat he was actually a lovely person, Severus thought. Glad she'd changed the course of time, glad she'd given him friendship where he would have had loneliness and suffering.

Now he was pursuing his knowledge, pursuing everything he desired to know without a mad-man breathing down his neck. She'd improved his life exponentially.

And the lives of so many others with them.

"Molly and Arthur have invited us over for dinner as well, their boys were looking forward to seeing us play a match." Remus smirked, knowing Severus would rather fall from a broom to his death than play a match of Quidditch with them.

"While I cannot pass on Molly's cooking I believe I will observe the match, as you say." The dark wizard couldn't help the smirk that broke his face for a moment before he returned to the placid man he was meant to be.

Hermione had stroked his face in those moments, told him some things never changed. He almost smiled at the memory.

She was a magnificent woman.

He couldn't wait to meet her again.


	27. Chapter 27

Remus laughed, holding his squirming goddaughter on his hip as she tried to reach the long hair atop his head, he'd been in desperate need of a cut for the shaggy locks for some time.

"Such a fireball!" He laughed, mussed the red hair atop her head and settled her onto the floor to totter off. A speedy little two year old she was gone around the corner as quickly as she'd been there.

Severus chuckled to himself as he nursed his tumbler for firewhiskey. It was Christmas and they had all gathered in the Potter home to enjoy the Holidays.

Lily came out of the kitchen with a tray of pumpkin pasties made especially for the occasion and as ravenous as always Remus and Sirius were atop the tray before she could even settle it onto a table. She laughed and shook her head, eyes glittering.

James came from behind her and wrapped his arms around her back, fingers hooked on the light swell of her stomach. She was expecting yet another Potter menace. Severus fought his urge to sigh.

He would have had the opportunity to start his family as well, had he not been denied the one woman he would choose.

He cleared his throat and took another drink, an attempt to chase away the negative thoughts.

Hermione lived, in one way or another she was still there, he had only to wait.

"Is it time for the presents yet!?" An excited mop of black hair sped through the sitting room, green eyes aglow as he nearly knocked his godfather Sirius from his feet and bounced on his heels in front of the Christmas tree.

A five year old Harry Potter was a bundle of energy, barely contained in the small body. Severus smirked, he looked forward to the day he began Hogwarts, he could only see the boy getting up to just as much trouble as his father and uncles- by name, not blood, but uncles none the less.

"I had hoped your aunt Petunia would change her mind." Lily looked a bit sad, James kissed the side of her red head, his eyes soft.

Hermione was right, they'd grown into a wonderful family, when allowed to flourish.

Harry pouted, "I wanted to meet cousin Dudley yes."

"Lily, some minds will never change." Severus exhaled over his tumbler, his eyes locked on the little scene, Remus and Sirius were fighting over the last pasty.

He wondered momentarily how they weren't sick from eating so many.

"I know, I just, I want them to be a part of our lives."

"People will always be afraid of what they don't understand, love." James kissed the side of her head and snatched the last pasty from Sirius' hands, with a laugh he handed it off to his son, eyebrow raised at his friends. Daring them to take the treat from a little boy.

"I call cheatsies." Remus grumbled and moved to plop into the seat beside Severus, jarring the dark wizard and chuckling at the half-glare he received.

"Now presents mum?" Harry cried, the little redheaded figure of Rose burst into the room.

"Presents! Presents!" She cried, colliding with her older brother and earning a good-natured grumble.

James chuckled and glanced to his wife.

"Well, I guess so then." She shook her head and glanced at the sofa, Sirius had settled on Severus' other side and they were currently elbowing one another rather discretely.

James laughed as he began to hand out the presents, barely restraining his children as they ripped into the brightly colored wrappings.

SSHG

"If we stop the mudblood bitch before she can grow-" Bellatrix was cut off by a dark look.

"It will not make a difference, our lord is gone and we do not possess the time travel capabilities she had. We will strike on the Christmas Holiday, but it will change nothing." The long blonde hair of the Malfoy patriarch glinted in the light of the fire he stood facing, cane spinning in his fingers as he thought.

"We will find a way to end them, won't we?" Narcissa spoke, her voice quiet as was her nature, not rowdy and loud like her sister but soft spoken and composed in all situations.

"We will." Lucius gave a nod, turning back to face the group of former Death Eaters in his home. His wife, his sister-in-law, her husband, and many others who were not lost in the war.

They thought they had ended things when they'd ended their lord.

They were mistaken.

Lucius' mouth curled in a cruel smile.

No, he would still end the mudblood filth.


	28. Chapter 28

Severus grunted as he deflected a skillfully cast curse in his direction. Lily had fled up the stairs with her children and the former Death Eaters that had descended upon their home had been underestimating the numbers of Order members who would be in the Potter home.

"I told you we should have gone after the MUDBLOOD!" Bellatrix screeched her wild eyes flicking around the room as she cast again. Severus narrowed his eyes.

"Mudblood?" He growled out and Bellatrix smirked at him viciously.

"Yes that little lover over yours. Just an innocent little child now isn't she!?" She cackled, Severus doubled his efforts, each flick of his wand expert, each movement, each spell well considered and planned to have the optimal effect.

"Don't let her distract you." Remus hissed, his eyes flashed as he drove Lucius back, they just needed to disarm them enough to force the Death Eaters into retreat. Sirius' arm began to bleed, his eyes narrowed and black hair stuck to his forehead. James stood nearest the stairs.

He would be damned if anyone came near his wife and children.

"We must reevaluate our mode of attack, we will see how things have gone in the muggle home." Lucius hissed, Severus' paused, his black eyes flashed dangerously.

"If anything has happened to her I will destroy every one of you." Bellatrix gave a made cackle before she dissaparated with a loud 'POP', Severus' hex barely missing her and instead colliding with the wall.

The paint peeled away instantly and left a large gash across the surface. The others vanished in a similar fashion. Lucius smirked as he vanished.

"Hermione." Severus breathed, wild eyes locked on his friends who looked equally as disturbed.

"Albus will know what's happened." Lily said from the top of the stairs, clutching Harry against one hip and Rose on the other.

"She's fine Severus, she has to be." Remus gave his friend a nod, James leapt up the stairs two at a time to check his wife and children, ensuring their well-being.

"We had hoped they would not attempt to recoup, that they would only go their separate ways."

"We will need to inform the Ministry." Sirius nodded, black eyes flicked to him.

"Lucius works for the Ministry, I doubt we can trust many there."

"He's right." Remus interjected, his eyes flashing to the door. His wand was still clutched tightly in his hand, knuckles white. "We can't trust the Ministry right now."

"Mummy, what's happening?" Harry questioned, green eyes wide, Lily rubbed the top of her son's head, mop of black hair mussed from their attempt to escape the room quickly.

"Nothing sweetie, just some bad men mummy and daddy know."

"Will they hurt us?"

"No one will ever hurt you or your sister Harry." James narrowed his eyes on his son, his hand on the boy's shoulder.

Severus stared hard at the fireplace.

"I need to know if she is alive."

"I'll go Sev, if for some reason she's there…" Remus trailed and Sirius gave a nod.

"We know you do not want to see her as a child mate, we'll take care of it." He slapped the brooding man on the shoulder, Severus shot him a half-hearted glare and gave a nod.

"Please, tell me as soon as you know something." He glared at the fireplace, unwilling to look at the two until their backs were to him.

"No problem mate, we'll let you know in a jiffy." Sirius grinned and disappeared in green flames, Remus rolled his eyes.

"He's an idiot, I am certain she's well." He vanished as well, just behind his friend. Severus' shoulders were locked and tense, his neck spiked sharp pains down his spine.

"Who are you talking about?" Harry questioned, keen eyes on his 'Uncle' Sev.

"No one you need to worry yourself with young Harry. Now, I believe you've not opened your gift from me, have you?" Severus pulled a little parcel from his pocket, his black eyes flashed as the boy leapt down the stairs excitedly, focus shifted.

Lily gave him a soft smile as he handed the gift to the little boy.

He had to believe she was okay, because if she wasn't then he wouldn't be.

SSHG

"I know you." Remus was met with a little girl's voice the second he stepped into the Headmaster's office. He stared at her with wide eyes, Sirius stood beside him doing the same.

"She said the same thing to me, mate." He grunted and Remus glanced between the two, suddenly his mouth was incredibly dry.

"Mister Dumbledore, why do I know them?" She turned keen amber eyes on the Headmaster with gentle tilt to her head.

"Well, that's a tad complicated, Ms. Granger." The old Headmaster smiled and rubbed her head.  
"I assume you are here because you have also been faced with some unwanted company?" Remus nodded, still staring at the small figure of Hermione curled in a chair. Six years old, she was six years old and her eyes were so bloody keen.

As if she was looking straight into him.

"Mummy and daddy are dead, the bad man with the scars killed them. He tried to kill me but my special secret made him hurt." She informed, rather bluntly and Sirius sucked a breath beside him, Remus tried to swallow around the knot in this throat.

"I'm sorry about your mummy and daddy, sweetie." He managed to croak, his eyes flicked to Dumbledore who was staring rather blankly at the girl.

"It is not unusual for wild bursts of power to make themselves known when a child is threatened, we believe she was acting in self-defense."

"Severus is going to be so, so…" Sirius trailed looking for a word.

"Bloody pissed?" Remus finished and Hermione narrowed her eyes on him.

"That language is not nice, mister." Dumbledore shook his head. Such a strange girl even a young Hermione Granger was.


	29. Chapter 29

"What will we do with her?" Severus observed the order meeting, black eyes focused on the person who spoke at any given time. He had very carefully avoided young Hermione Granger, an attempt not to feel like a disturbed man.

He couldn't fathom seeing her as a child. Still, they were involving him in their decision-making process. She was the love of his life, after all.

"She is living with Minerva for the moment but she has no living family." Albus spoke, fingers hooked together in front of him as he spoke. He looked particularly tired, a side effect of taking care of a young child at an old age. Severus could have laughed, if this wasn't _his_ Hermione who was going through this all.

"She could live with us." Molly Weasley chimed, her soft motherly face focused on her husband Arthur beside her. They were already in possession of a plethora of children. Their hands were full with six boys and a young girl. It wouldn't be logical to thrust another child upon them.

"No." A voice interjected and all eyes turned to Remus Lupin, sat at the end of the table. He was infamous for not speaking at the order meetings, not being someone who desired the attention. Sirius gave a nod beside him, the two lived together, bachelors in the large Black manor.

"He's right, Molly, you already have so much on your shoulders. You are a wonderful mother but it would be unfair to both yourself and Hermione to thrust her into such a large family." He glanced to Remus who gave a small nod, they were thinking the same thing.

"If Severus has no objection," Remus glanced to the man in question, he was watching him with narrowed black eyes, "we will take her in. Sirius can give her the proper education until she is ready to attend Hogwarts and I will be available to care for her when classes are not in session. I will simply stop occupying my rooms at Hogwarts during off hours and arrive however Albus sees fit to teach."

Severus watched the two closely, it was as if they could see the dark wizard thinking, mulling over their idea.

"She is already familiar with us, as she so bluntly said when we arrived at the Headmaster's office." Sirius nodded. "She will grow up with Harry and his siblings as friends. I'm certain it is what she would want as well."

Albus looked to Severus and then Molly who was giving them a wide smile. Lily gave a small nod, her fingers entwined with James'.

"We'll give them any help they need but I think they'll do just fine raising her by themselves."

"I will not be able to visit with you when she is there, and what of your _condition_ , Remus?" Severus was thinking it over, trying to decide if it was for the best.

He could certainly see the logic in it. Remus knew her better than anyone besides himself before she'd moved on. She had recognized the two as well.

She would trust them, they could take care of her.

"I would never put her in danger, Severus." Remus held his gaze, firm eyes on the man. Severus gave a little nod.

"I know you wouldn't, I just needed to be sure." He exhaled, the three locked eyes on Dumbledore.

"You will have an opportunity to focus all of your energy on your skills in Occlumency and Legilimency as well as your Potion career. I see no harm in this arrangement Severus. I only ask that you do not fall out with your friends because of her presence." Albus cocked an eyebrow. Minerva gave a nod.

"She wouldn't have wanted that."

Lily smiled at her friends, Remus and Sirius looked a little ill. Immature as they were this was an enormous task to take on.

"Well, have fun being dads!" Arthur Weasley laughed, the tension in the room immediately subsided as the two gave nervous laughs and the group began to discuss their plans for the future, and what they would do about the newest threat to the muggleborn members of their society. It appeared the Ministry would be all but useless in this.

SSHG

"REMUS!" A ten year old Hermione came darting into the room, her amber eyes wide with mirth as she darted across the floor and slid, unceremoniously into the sofa with a crash.

"What on earth are you doing child?" He cocked an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling as he smiled at the girl. Her wild brown hair was piled in a bun on top of her hair and she was bright red, from laughing, or running, or the combination of the two he was unsure.

Sirius slid into the room, the figure of a large black dog with a bright smile on its face and in its eyes as he skidded into the room with a coy bark. Remus shook his head.

"I should have known you would have something to do with this." Hermione let out a loud giggle when he licked her foot.

"You are so gross!" She screeched and jumped over the back of the sofa, darting from the room.

Sirius laughed as he morphed back into the form of a man and settled beside Remus, who was reading peacefully on the sofa.

"That girl is mad, absolutely batty."

"I'm only glad she's doing so well, she's nervous about beginning school next year, you know."

"I know, she'll be fine though, she has Harry and Ron starting with her, she already knows them. Have you heard from Severus?" Sirius tipped is head back as he questioned and Remus shook his head.

"Not since he sent word he was officially a master of potions. He has been burying himself in his work to be distracted." Sirius gave a little nod.

"Lucius is fighting for blood purity to be a requirement to enter Hogwarts." Remus shook his head as he spoke, eyes glazed and no longer focused on the book in front of him.

"I know, ridiculous laws they are trying to pass. It's lucky they think Hermione was killed before Greyback escaped."

Remus swallowed.

"Lucky she knew how to play dead, smart girl she is, for one so young."

"Her soul is old, we both know she's retained at atleast some of her memories before she was gone."

"I know." Remus gave a nod before they settled into peaceful silence. Hermione joined them not long after they'd settled. She curled between them on the sofa with a book in her hands and earned a kiss on either side of her head.

She no longer had her parents, that was true, but she still had a wonderful family.


	30. Chapter 30

"You want me to run at that wall?" Hermione stared blankly from the brick wall in front of her to Remus, her eyebrows furrowed.  
"I don't think that is a very logical idea."

"You'll be just fine love, would you like pads to go first?" He questioned and Hermione gave a nod, clutching her orange cat Crookshanks to her chest tightly. Her eyes flicked to her Uncle James and Aunt Lily, her brows still furrowed as Sirius stepped through the wall, acting for all the world like a drama queen as he went.

She looked to Remus again, the man who she'd come to think of as her father, well, one of them.

"Go on then, I would never steer you wrong." He nudged her by her back and she, with a deep breath, ran through. Remus followed and she was hugging herself to Sirius tightly, her amber eyes wide.

She may have been raised in the wizarding world but she had also been hidden away for her own safety. It was the hope that they'd simply forgotten she'd existed, though they knew that was a very unlikely idea.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Ron teased, his face snarky and Hermione handed off Crookshanks before she crossed her arms.

"Hush Ronald." She snipped bossily and he grumbled under his breath. Harry gave a good natured laugh and the three turned to say goodbye to their families before boarding the train for their first year at Hogwarts.

Hermione couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation dart through her. She knew she was heading to her fate, even if she wasn't quite sure what that fate was.

They waved to their families out the windows and Hermione watched the two men who had raised her as if she were their own fade into the distance.

She was going to miss them most of all.

SSHG

Severus watched the line of students come in. He knew she would be among them, led by Minerva into the great hall with all of the first years.

In his mind it was a toss-up, he wanted so badly to see her, and so badly not to.

He wanted to maintain that image of the adult witch in his mind, the one it was okay for him to love, to feel attracted to.

He had been warring with himself quite a lot, feeling like a pedophile for loving someone who was so young. It was the primary reason he'd kept his distance. He didn't want his body, his mind to react in the way it feared he would.

It dropped a sigh of relief through him when he saw her and he was not stirred in the way he'd thought. There she was, young, bushy haired, wide amber eyes staring around the room with wonder.

His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her face. She was lovely, even as a child. Still he didn't feel the tell-tale twitch in his gut that told him he was anything but a man in love.

He wasn't turned on by her.

Gods and Merlin it was the best feeling in the world. To know he could be near her, love her, without it being absolutely wrong. Disgusting.

Her eyes caught his and recognition lit her face. A smile danced across her lips when her name was called and their eye contact was finally broken.

It was going to be a long seven years.

Of that he was absolutely certain.

But gods wasn't it good simply to see her alive again, alive and well.


End file.
